Fresh Direct Kills?

Looking north from Borden Ave. Bridge

I took a New Years Day walk around and over the Newtown Creek. If you ever want a little solitude in New York City, at least on a holiday, I can recommend this route: From the Hunters Point subway (7 train) station, head south on 21st St. After a block or two, it will look like you can't go any further, as the street ends at the Queens Midtown Expressway. But persevere: there's a narrow pedestrian walkway that snakes under the expressway and over railroad tracks. On the other side, take a left on Borden Avenue and, in a few blocks, you will find yourself on the Borden Avenue Bridge over the New Town Creek, or more precisely, the remains of the Dutch Kills spur of the creek.

Retraction action

There's been a bridge here since 1868. The original wooden bridge was replaced in 1874 with an iron "swing bridge." That lasted until 1908, when the city constructed the current retractile bridge, that is, one that moves diagonally on tracks set into the bank to create a passage for shipping. Retractile! And the control house moves with it. Cool! There are only two in the city; the other is the Carroll Avenue Bridge over the Gowanus Canal. More about the Borden Avenue Bridge on nycbridges100.org (source for photo at right). Sadly, it hasn't retracted in years since there is little call for shipping on the creek, which now dead-ends a few hundred yards on.

Lonely Avenue

There is some activity along Borden Avenue, though, including a vets' residential center and the HQ of Fresh Direct, base for the huge digital billboard visible from the 7 train. Since FD is so prominent in the area, I think it's only appropriate to rename the creek, Fresh Direct Kills. They'll love it! Maybe they'll even kick in for cleanup of the creek. I mean, how good can it be to have your food stored over a superfund site?