Farewell to the old East 10th Street pedestrian bridge

This weekend, workers will begin the months-long demoliton of the 10th Street pedestrian bridge that leads from the East Village to East River Park.

According to community notices, the work begins at 12:01 a.m. Sunday. (Late Saturday night!) 

Per the notices: 

Activities related to the removal of the East 10th Street Bridge will necessitate overnight work. This operation can be disruptive and loud. Because this work includes full and partial FDR Drive closures, we are required to perform it at night to minimize traffic disruptions. Noise, vibration, and air quality monitors are in place. We apologize for the disturbance and thank you for your patience as we make these critical upgrades.  

The bridge, along with the adjacent playground, BBQ area, and basketball courts, closed on May 27 as the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project moved north. 

 

Here's a view of the now tree-less area, taken from the still-open section off of the Sixth Street pedestrian bridge.

The Sixth Street section, which includes the running track and a stretch of the walkway along the river, is expected to close at the end of the summer.

Several refurbished East River Park areas around the Williamsburg Bridge reopened on Memorial Day, including the south tennis courts. By the start of fall, East Village-based park-goers must head south to access any East River Park amenities. 

The city has stated that it will maintain public access to at least 42% of the park throughout construction, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. 

The "phased work operations" in East River Park commenced in November 2021, in Project Area 1, located between Montgomery Street and 15th Street. Workers have been burying the park under fill and cutting down hundreds of trees as part of the billion-dollar-plus ESCR. They are elevating the land 8 to 10 feet above sea level to protect the area from future storm surges