Greenpoint, October, 2015

Monday, January 26, 2015

Bridge for Bess - Winner!

(Photo courtesy: MTA)
It's the Henry Hudson Bridge, which carries the Henry Hudson Parkway over the Spuyten Duyvil Creek, with a magnificent view of the Hudson River to the west, and beyond it, the shores of Hudson County*. That's an awful lot of "Hudson's" in one sentence. I don't think anyone should mind giving up one to honor Bess Myerson. (Here and here for runners up.)
(Photo courtesy: My Inwood)
The bridge opened in 1936, when Bess was 12. (According to the fine My Inwood site, the ribbon-cutting was overshadowed by the abdication of King Edward). When it opened it was the longest plate girder arch and fixed arch bridge in the world. A kind of Miss America of plate girder arch and fixed arch bridges! Soaring 143 feet above the waterway, there is definitely something glamorous about it. From the span, it provides a beautiful view not only of the river and New Jersey but of the southern Bronx where Bess grew up. I think she would like it.

(Courtesy: Associated Press)
As a longtime consumer advocate, I think she'd appreciate the automated (no-stopping) toll system. Yes, I think we have a winner. I look forward to my first drive across the Bess Myerson Bridge. I'll stop off at Liebman's in Riverdale for a pastrami on rye and a Cel-Ray to celebrate.


(*Poetic license: It's actually looking Bergen Co., but Hudson Co. is just below it.)

4 comments:

  1. minor quibble, In side the NYC limits, the river is the NORTH river --as in the North River water treatment plant at 125th street.

    The river changes names to the Hudson river at the bronx/yonkers border.

    we have become so estranged from the river, few know the proper name...but river men do. and some besides the river men.

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  2. And the East River is only East River if you're in Manhattan (or points west)!

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  3. Darn it - I was holding out for Option 2!

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    1. Thanks for your interest in the campaign. I think there is just as much chance the Broadway Bridge will become the Bess Myerson Bridge as any other.

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