Another historic NYC bridge spanning The East River built over 100 years ago. Great walkway for sightseeing Manhattan and Brooklyn. read more

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The Williamsburg Bridge is a suspension bridge across the East River. It connects the Lower East Side of Manhattan with the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. Originally known as the East River Bridge, the Williamsburg Bridge was completed in 1903. It's 7,308 feet long and was the longest suspension bridge span in the world until 1924. My love of bridges involves the view of the structure alone and the surrounding area. The water, and the buildings in the background are impressive. Plus I'm amazed at the workmanship and difficulty of building bridges. Regardless of the thoughts and emotions I feel when I see a bridge I definitely like to add bridge photos to my collection. I had the opportunity to collect more photos when I saw the Williamsburg Bridge. I'm recommending you enjoy this bridge in your own way. read more

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A nice stroll on a sunny day, the Williamsburg Bridge connects Lower East Side Manhattan to...well, Williamsburg in Brooklyn. One of the more biker and pedestrian friendly bridges connecting Manhattan to another landmass, this bridge features an elevated thoroughfare for bikers and pedestrians that's above the car and subway level. From LES it starts as a single lane stretch adjacent to Delancey, separating into a biker side and pedestrian side once you get to the main section of the bridge that sits over the water. Compared to the Brooklyn bridge with its stone arches and open air suspension construction, the Williamsburg Bridge shows a grittier, urban suspension bridge with steel towers and a lot of graffiti adorning every possible canvas. A distinctive feel for sure! It seems the public services commission put in a noticeable effort to keep the bridge cleaner and litter free--they placed trash cans along pretty much every 5 minutes walking along the bridge from the LES side. Most people seem to get the idea and have pretty good aim though a fair amount seem to still miss these targets when tossing their trash. At a leisurely pace it will take about 30 minutes to cross this bridge, though if you stop and check out the views maybe closer to 45 mins. You can see all of the buildings and skyline along the East River in the lower part of Manhattan. The bridge is fairly flat all the way across so suitable for all ages and accessibility. There's plenty of fencing so you never feel unsafe, though no direct overhead covering so you are exposed to the weather and elements. read more

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Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge is a must for any visitor, but it can get awfully packed. And I get called on to take photos constantly since I'm Asian. They just figure I've got the gift. Know what I mean? Well, Jamie W. and I just discovered crossing the Williamsburg Bridge was a nice alternative since few people take advantage of the pedestrian walkway. Sure, it was kinda grungy and covered in graffiti. But it worked just fine with worthwhile East River views through the rusted metal grates. We started in Manhattan's Lower East Side on Delancey Street and followed random joggers and scooters as they approached the entrance to the incline. It took us about forty minutes to walk the bridge. The terminus in Williamsburg was Bedford Avenue, a main thoroughfare for shopping and cafes, and exactly where we wanted to begin our Brooklyn adventure. Nearby was the newish Domino Park on the waterfront (review) where we could look back on the bridge from below. Is the Williamsburg Bridge the great unsung span connecting NYC? I guess it is. RELATED - Interested in NYC's attractions? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2ZvQA2F read more

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After a massive meal at Katz's we decided to walk over to Brooklyn and we decided to take the Williamsburg Bridge across. It was a nice walk over to the bridge as I'd never actually walked across this bridge. When we got close, it took a minute to realize how to get to the bridge to cross. A few fumbled crosswalks later and we were on the bridge. I have to say even though the bridge was under construction, it was really nice to have directional and separate paths for bikes and pedestrians. It felt safe not having to worry that somebody was going to bump into us. The bridge itself has some views of both skylines. Though some of it was obstructed due to the construction. It's not as beautiful as the Brooklyn bridge but also doesn't have the traffic of it either. It's a 10-15 minute brisk walk across to Williamsburg. At no time did it feel unsafe crossing here and the weather was gorgeous that day. Once we got to Williamsburg we were looking for some coffee...and L'Industrie read more

Williamsburg Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

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The Williamsburg bridge features a dedicated side for cyclists and one for pedestrians. A pretty easy and quick walk takes you from Williamsburg Brooklyn to the lower east side in Manhattan in about 15-20 minutes. Unfortunately this bridge seems like parts of it have been under never-ending construction for years with plenty of potholes and bumps, on the roadway and the bike path alike. I have only seen police here once (in 20 years) enforcing rules against mopeds and scooters in the bike lane. The architecture makes for a great juxtaposition against the iconic Manhattan skyline. The Manhattan side south bike entrance has to be one of the worst ever, forcing you off the path to navigate through the pedestrian cross walk just to get back on the path, makes no sense at all, it could really use a redesign. read more

Williamsburg Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

The Williamsburg Bridge opened in 1903 and was the longest suspension bridge having rail, trolly, pedestrians, and Carriage crossing the East River. From what I read recently, the bridge average traffic daily is 105 thousand vehicles, seven thousand cyclists and six-thousand pedestrians. This bridge requires constant inspections and maintenance to support its busy travel. What I love about Williamsbridge is its unique historical design that has been a background in many Hollywood movies such as The French Connection and Serpico. Today, from Brooklyn to Lower Manhattan, one will find modern contemporary structures that rise above the bridge from both sides of the river that connects our past with our future. read more

I've run across the Willy B bridge a few times now and can say it is less crowded than some of the other bridges. Would say it's longer as well, and can get loud when the train passes. Fun to see the graffiti all along the ground. Multiple garbage cans along the way, sometimes the garbage is spewed around, other times well-contained... read more

Gorgeous view of Brooklyn and Manhattan from this bridge, walk over it and enjoy the view.

Cross another item off of my New York City bucket list, I have finally traversed the Williamsburg Bridge, albeit by train. Three subway lines cross this East River bridge, which opened in 1903. The J, which operates over the bridge at all times, the M, which operates at all times except nights, and the Z, which operates only during rush hour. Trains go across the bridge at a solid clip, 40 mph (they used to go faster). The bridge is also pedestrian friendly, as there is pedestrian walkways on both sides of the bridge. You also get a nice vantage point of three other East River bridges, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, and the Queensboro (Ed Koch Bridge). One day if I move to the city, I hope to cross the former two bridges along with this one by foot. And when I do, it is going to be glorious. Until then, I will just let the subway trains do their magic and do the work for me. read more

Williamsburg Bridge should be a must go for people that are movie buffs. This bridge has been shot around at for different movies and shows. Overall this bridge is over 100 years old and deserves some kind of recognition. You can walk, drive and also it has the subway to go from east side to Brooklyn. Overall I say this bridge has so much character and I actually do love the graffiti. It still is here and overall I think while your walking on this bridge during the day you can see a very good view of the city from so many viewpoints. But yes there is wiring so maybe for photos it isn't that good but it's just overall super cool to see. Since coming back here twice in a year within months apart I really enjoyed walking the entire bridge. I saw bikers, runners and walkers all around. I saw the subway train and saw plenty of slow moving cars. I saw boats on the water. It's honestly a beautiful site to take in. Give this bridge some credit it has been here longer than many of you guys!! Established in 1903, how would you be looking if you were that old? read more

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And! The supreme irony of this is Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine now Promoting the "1000 trees" agenda. Folks, you can't make this stuff up: https://www.amny.com/environment/vision-for-million-more-trees-touted-by-all-five-borough-presidents/ This is insane and delusional; it's like he doesn't even know all the trees in East River Park are being destroyed on his watch. Yeah, I know "it's only 991 trees; we can plant saplings to replace the mature 80-year-old trees." One pro-destruction woman even told me: "Saplings are more resilient than old-growth trees!" We're doomed; that is all. read more

Eh, it's a pretty mundane bridge that takes one from downtown Manhattan into hipsterland Brooklyn. Nothing all that special about it, nor does it stand out as compared to the GWB or Brooklyn Bridge. It's just kind of there. You can bike or walk across it, but this bridge seems to lack the warmth and charm of the Brooklyn Bridge. Both offer wonderful views though, but Brooklyn's are better. There is also a subway line that runs across this bridge. It can be a loud walk at times. Overall, the Willie B is functional and dependable and are it's biggest assets. This bridge is kind of like your side chick, and gets used when the Brooklyn Bridge isn't an option that night. read more

The WillyBB is my crossing of choice whenever I'm heading to or from Chinatown from Brooklyn/Queens. Traffic can still be horrendous going both ways, but is way less confusing than all the twisty approaches on the Brooklyn or Manhattan bridges out of DUMBO. It's painted the same gray color as the Manhattan bridge, but you can tell them apart by the sloped sided steel towers on the WillyB versus the straight up and down on the Manhattan. You can't confuse the Brooklyn Bridge with its stone towers though. The best thing on the Brooklyn side is that there is a direct feeder ramp from the BQE. There's also a lesser known on-ramp from Roebling St, if you know the backstreets of Williamsburg. Sometimes the traffic can be hell-on-earth during rush hour, but it'll be bad on all the bridges anyway and you just have to bear it. FUHGEDABOTIT! No wonder the sign says "Oy Vey" when you're leaving Brooklyn. The 4 lanes of traffic in either direction are barely wide enough for cars, but when a bus is on, they run up the middle and hog up 2 lanes. Sometimes you'll be at a standstill and 3-4 subway trains pass you down the tracks in the middle. The biking/jogging/walking ramps/paths up to and over the bridge are some of the best in the city, with a long pedestrian/bike ramp from Delancey St in Manhattan and from Borinquen Pl in Brooklyn. There's even a large CitiBike docking station at the base of the Brooklyn side if you're so inclined (pun intended) and a direct traffic separated bike lane on the Manhattan side. Little known personal fact: With my boss at the time, we designed the hook-shaped aluminum streetlight poles on the approaches and had them specified for the 90's bridge rehab, but the contract was hijacked by another company. Hmph! Little did they know that I had put in a not obvious design feature on ours that dampened vibrations from the bridge that the competition did not incorporate into their design. That's why their lights blow out so often. read more

This is a unique bridge! Compared to the Manhattan or Brooklyn Bridge, the view may not be as great, but the bridge itself is the view. There's a ton of graffiti all over it which is fun to look at. The view with on the pedestrian side isn't as cool as the view from the biking side, so I would recommend biking over the bridge. Seems like it would be fun! read more

Williamsburg Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

Traffic is ridiculous on the ramp part of the bridge (Manhattan side). Lord take the wheel. Literally. Can't stand driving over it The positive to it is that because of the annoying traffic, I get more time to enjoy the view ...and also watch the homeless people and churro sellers walk through the lanes read more

A bridge from Manhattan to hipster heaven. It's functionally a pretty good bridge. This carries traffic between the two boroughs. It's kind of far from the other two famous bridges. The bridge is kind of nice looking, not including the graffiti covering it. Aesthetically, it's no Brooklyn Bridge. It's metal and painted red, more modern looking. The bridge is still a sight to walk across, mostly because of the views. It's great no matter which way you're crossing. The views of Manhattan aren't as good as the Brooklyn Bridge. It's almost as good as the Manhattan Bridge. The bridge is covered in colorful graffiti. Of course you would never see that on the other bridge. This makes it seem lesser, though it's often entertaining reading. If you're driving across it, this is free. It eventually becomes the Queens Brooklyn Expressway. The subway also travels along it. read more

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What a beautiful bridge, but the drive over it is simply too short to enjoy the real splendor. Even when your stuck in traffic dealing with idiots the bridge does not give you enough time. There is just something sort of magical about this bridge and I am by no way some lover of bridges. This one is just amazing. If you get to NYC definitely drive over the bridge a few times to get your fill of the wonder. read more

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One hundred and fifteen years and a few face lifts later, we rumbled across her and over the East River late the other night. I don't recall seeing the tracks for the J and Z trains that come subterranean and appear drivers side left only to quickly disappear back into their dark depths before we enter on Delancy. I wonder if they've been rerouted, I find myself missing the nostalgia of it all, the shrieking of steel against steel, the flashes of electric sparks. Nightly crossings of The Willie B are far from new experiences as years back, my fellow droogs and chelovecks and I bounced along the bars of the Bowery. We slamdanced and brawled at CBGB's hitting them all with the misto, we spun the wheel only to drink from a boot or a toilet bowl (not an actual toilet bowl, but yes to an actual boot) at Aces & Eights, danced and drank till dawn at FLOAT and CHAOS and that's just a light glazing over, of our downtown - Lower East Side frolicking activities -- ahhh yes, those were the days and not a single name remains and I wanted to retreat from the reflections. This night, so many years later, I drive over the Willie B and it's lit with an outline of pink and a electric lime green, to what holiday or event the colors are speaking to, I havn't a clue, I don't want to know. I'm getting a sinking feeling in the pit of my gut and wonder what's causing it. It's many things I suppose, but more than any single disturbance in the force, it's the knowledge that it appears to no longer be a city that I am connected with. NYC is a city my family has lived in and served in and was a part of creating for over three hundred years, we have an avenue to our name and it's in the wrong hands. So off I go, pulling up the remaining roots behind me to stuff them in a sack to be replanted somewhere else. "So Long and Thanks For All the Fish" - HHG2TG, it's the message the dolphins leave before they depart read more

this is a loud and crappy bridge to walk over lacking all of the charm and views of the Brooklyn Bridge to the south. It does lack the huge crowds and has a dedicated bike lane, which the other does not have. Even worse, when you walk to the Manhattan side, you are dumped onto the least exciting area of the LES. So, if you are looking to choose between which bridge to enjoy a leisurely walk over, this is not the best choice. If you are riding to and from work or driving into that area, it's long and narrow and free. read more

Williamsburg Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

Ok, so it's no Brooklyn Bridge - but you'll still get amazing views if you walk across -- and best of all if you start from Manhattan you'll end up in Williamsburg (super hot hood right now) and to the right is probably the best steakhouse in the USA -- Peter Luger. Expensive and cash only -- but you'll remember this late 1800's ode to all things meat for awhile. I remember shooting a student film on the bridge when I went to NYU in the early '80's. Didn't even have to ask for permission -- just shot "on the fly" as they say. Probably would get arrested now. read more

William Shatner of Star Trek and Priceline once gave me his Shake Shack Double Patty w/ Cheese, as we were crossing this Bridge. I hated it (predictably if you've seen my reviews of Shake Shack), but I loved the gesture. So much so that I lobbied for the Bridge to be named after this incident. I was successful. Hence the name "Williamshatnersburger Bridge", which has been shortened (to save money on signage and be less confusing and other sh*t like that), to "Williamsburg Bridge." The more you know... Speaking of knowing more. I can actually prove that William Shatner and I both know more bedroom tricks than any of your boyfriends do. We'll discuss this later if you want to. Oh crap, disclaimer: This only applies if you're male, or in the process of becoming male. Sorry ladies. Anyway. If you gave it to Shatner so good that all of his hair fell out, use the "Williamsbald Bridge" instead. This is by far one of the most beautiful bridges I have ever crossed. At Sunrise, Sunset, or anytime throughout the day or night it's nothing short of utterly spectacular. Just look at the pictures and see for yourself, especially those taken by Nadia Z aka Nadz. Fantastic review too. Very talented she is. At photos. I meant at photos and reviews. I did not mean it like that. Stop it. If Shatner was making you dinner and he left the rice on too long, then use the "Williamsburned Bridge" instead. I've probably crossed this bridge nearly 100 times in my life, and I'm not even exaggerating. Most recently my brother was staying in a Brownstone on the other side of it from Manhattan, so we'd drive him across it back and forth more than a few times so that he could do all the sightseeing and food eating in Manhattan. I told him that Queens was the centre of the food universe but it was understandably all about Manhattan to him. He did love Jugos Prontito though. And of course adored Brooklyn, but then who really doesn't adore Bklyn? I had the chance to stay in my first every Brownstone and it was a lovely experience. If you're actually one of Shatner's many, many kids, use the "Williamspawned Bridge." One of these days I want to walk this bridge or cycle it. Until now I've only ever driven it. It would get a 5 star even if it weren't so spectacularly beautiful and huge and hard (like my thing) and sublime in its metallic tress-work grandeur. It would score 5 because it's a free bridge from the coolest trendiest part of Bklyn to one of the busiest and most fun parts of Manhattan (Canal St, East Village, etc). Anything free in NYC is a true blessing. Also this bridge has surprisingly good access and is not as backed up as you would expect, a lot of the time. If you just lost an online forum debate with Shatner, use the "Williamspwned Bridge." In general, crossing NY bridges is an orgasmic experience. For some, maybe literally. For me, it's a figurative way of enlightening those who have not "done it" so to speak, to the rush, the adrenaline, the awe-inspiring grandeur, the surreal and astounding visual spectacle of the vista before you, on every side, as you climb up to the sky, and then descend down into the belly of a completely different borough. "Welcome To Brooklyn" it says, the home of the real NYC. Or "Welcome To Manhattan" perhaps, the greatest tourist mecca on the planet. Whichever way you are heading on the Manhattan Bridge, you can't lose. If you for some bizarre reason actually like these Shatner jokes, use the "Williampunned Bridge." Here is my review of Manhattan: http://www.yelp.com/biz/manhattan-new-york-2 My review of Brooklyn will be here soon: http://www.yelp.com/biz/brooklyn-brooklyn-3 If you'd like to find some great food in either borough, check those reviews. And if you're one of Shatner's angry exs, please instead use the "Williamspurned Bridge." If you like the way Shatner talks soft and sexy to you, use the "Williampurred Bridge." And if you want to entertain Shatner for the night, use the "Williamsbored Bridge." Whereas if you appreciate the curvature of his male parts, then use the "Williamsbend Bridge." Everything you've heard about being intimate with Shatner is true and I can tell you this from personal experience. Let's just say that Priceline is not the only thing he knows how to "expertly negotiate", and "name your own price" also applies to renting him by the hour. The more you know... Now I need to get to sleep. I'm very very tired. In fact I'm shattnered. And I just used his Priceline techniques to book this room at the Beam-Me-Up-Scottish Inn. I'll Spock to you in the morning. Speaking of techniques, if you ever do spend a night with Shatner, ask him to do his world-famous legendary "two-finger pleasure punch" on you. Basically, it's where he puts his massive... (Yelp Message: This review has reached the maximum character limit and has been cut off accordingly. Speaking of cut off, how bout them Bobbitts, eh?) read more

Very interesting bridge connecting Manhattan to Williamsburgh Brooklyn. There are also have a walk way, a bicycle way and subway is running though this bridge. I used to walk across this bridge many years ago but now mostly just driving. I always feel amazing about characters of the bridge, very cool and so artistic. The traffic always bad seems like 24/7 traffic, lol. Drive way is very narrow so I always feel I might bump into any car beside me and some people are take all space and drive too slow but i have no choice i have to use the bridge anyway. read more

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Wow. After 10 years, yesterday I walked across it. I didn't even know there was a walking/biking track. Truly an unexpected surprise, and truly well worth. You can see both the Brooklyn and the Manhattan bridges, along with the Empire State Building. Every once in a while there is a connection between the walking and the biking sides, from which you basically stand on top of the J train tracks... a cool sight. Recommended. read more

One cannot be a true New Yorker unless you do as locals do. Walking the Williamsburg Bridge from the footpath on the Manhattan side of Delancey Street was a refreshing walk, but not glamorous as the iconic and scenic Brooklyn Bridge. Williamsburg Bridge is entirely scrawled covered with graffiti on the footpath. Sadly, with the exception of one large graffiti plagued sign there are no bronze plaques inscribed "New York City Landmark" or "Construction Began in 1896 to the City of New York" which adds to the charm and history of the architectural integrity. Since it is entirely scrawled in graffiti making it less glamorous it benefits to the less populated pedestrian and bike traffic. I never bumped to the person next to me nor having to worry when stopping to take a photo blocking pedestrian traffic behind me. It was 90% empty on a Thursday afternoon!! The skyline of Manhattan and/or Brooklyn is obstructed by the red railings. The Manhattan entryway is a elevated steep ramp and the exit into Brooklyn is another elevated steep ramp where elevation will work against gravity. The occasional roar and rattle of J or M trains is very New York. In the beginning the bicycle and pedestrian path are one lane together but later separate for "pedestrians only to Manhattan or to Brooklyn" vs. "bicyclists only to Manhattan or to Brooklyn" to keep order. Mayor de Blasio you need to invest the time and money to clean Williamsburg Bridge from the graffiti!! read more

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A must see in NYC. The views from Dumbo are amazing and picture perfect. A staple of NYC no matter the weather. read more

Williamsburg Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

The most biker friendly / pedestrian friendly bridge in NYC. The bridge provides stunning views of the NYC skyline and has wide pedestrian and cycling paths, which are totally separate for a large portion of the bridge's span. The rivets and beams and architecturally pleasing to look at and make for great photos. Interesting graffiti on the bridge, also makes for some authentic NYC photo opportunities. read more

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A sub-iconic structure that's more of a local legend than a worldwide recognizable bridge. Highly appreciated by locals, including pedestrians. read more

Williamsburg Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

Super fun spot for a run! The bridge is a very consistently challenging hill. I appreciate that the runners and bikers are always separated from the cars. The path is very wide, and at one point, the bike path diverges from the walking/running path for ultimate space and peace of mind. read more

This bridge sucks. always bumps on the road. Always traffic. Always bikers that Are annoying. Kinda scary and unsafe feeling every time I'm on it. At the end of the day, great view, family friends, nice enjoyable walk. Other side of the bridge from manhattan is Brooklyn - Williamsburg..... hipster area - you can find a bar with a taco truck In the back yard of the bar! Enjoy your visit! * ***********Heres a good IDEA ************* ********Did you enjoy reading the review ?****** ************PLEASE Share some ************* ************ vote for this review!************** read more

I love to come here for runs. I live in Brooklyn, so I take the metro to the Myrtle stop and will run to the bridge from there. Round trip from there all the way across the bridge is 3 miles, so it's a great workout with that hill work factored in. It's feels much steeper than it looks and the inclines go quite a ways, especially when you're coming back into Brooklyn from the Manhattan side. The pedestrian entrance is off of Bedford on the left side of the bridge if you're looking west. If you're a runner, this is a fantastic place to get those hills in, so definitely check it out. read more

How we love the Williamsburg Bridge. Driving from Carroll Gardens to pick up my Grandson at his Williamsburg Preschool requires navigating the BQE at an extremely busy hour. What a time savings comes from exiting into Manhattan over the Manhattan Bridge then back into Brooklyn over the Williamsburg Bridge. Voila!! Grandma isn't late for pickup. But the really cool thing, which my Grandson loves, is to travel the Bridge with either the M or J train on the adjacent track. It never grows old for a preschooler. read more

Nice bridge to walk, run, bike and enjoy the scenic views of Brooklyn and Manhattan. The Willamsburg Bridge is like me, the middle child. Not that important, just there in case the other bridges are too crowded, ...wait ! maybe important if you need to get to the middle of the Manhattan island. So, is important when is convenient for your use. lol... What I discovered when I walked it, was the walkway had lots of words on it, I had fun reading and taking pictures of it. At the Brooklyn end, you will end up in some of the best areas of Brooklyn, Williamsburg-Southside-Northside-Greenpoint-Bushwick. Nice areas to explore if you like graffiti street art and wide variety of restaurants. read more

Williamsburg Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

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Me favorite bridge in NYC! 1. Well lit - check. 2. Not 90347029834029840289 pedestrians in the bike lane almost taking your head off with their God awful selfie stick - check. 3. Cool and/or dumb art/graffiti/scribble as entertainment throughout the bridge - check. In addition to the above, for me, this bridge is the funnest bridge to bike over because you can be a speed maniac with your bike because the bike lanes are on a completely different side of the bridge than the walking lanes. Of course, at times, you encounter walking rebels, but few in numbers are easily dodge-able. Second, the people who trot this bridge are generally locals so not a lot of tourist bs (I don't hate tourists...well maybe slightly =x). Third, the incline is a bit steep at times and the motivational scribble such as "You Got This" is kind of nice and gives me the ummpph to peddle peddle peddle. Lastly, any angle your eyeballs wander to, your eyeballs will enjoy a cool view in my opinion (park, water, NYC, Queens bridge, yadda yadda). read more

Williamsburg Bridge - Train coming choo choo - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

Have you ever stood under Eiffel Tower and marvel over the rivets and detailing of the masterpiece? No? It's so far from NY, you say - and that the heck it has to do with Williamsburg Bridge??? Dare I to say, it is the same feeling of grandeur and marvel of engineering that overcome you as you standing under one of the bridge towers and look up... 48 thousand tons on steel, massive supports, rivets and plates, all crisscrossing and silhouetting against the sky. At the same time, intricate art nouveau detailing is a perfect compliment to industrial design of the bridge. Take a note of architectural artwork on the walkway entrance and light fixtures on the outside in side spans in particular - they are beautiful! It was the second bridge to cross East River, back in 1903. It sharp contrast to more conventional design of Brooklyn Bridge draw a lot of criticism (but so did design of Eiffel Tower, I must add). Nevertheless, it was one of the most influential bridges in NY history, affecting migration patterns and having a huge impart on two areas it connected. It was also revolutionary in design, that included both suspension cables for main span and trusses for the side spans, which dramatically cut on the cost of construction. It's the only suspension bridge in NYC that carry rail, cars, pedestrian traffic and bikes. 4 means of transportation to choose from to cross one bridge - pick your poison! Walking across the Williamsburg Bridge is one of those things every New Yorker has to do at least once in lifetime (but hopefully, more than that) - the structure is impressive, and views of the East River are nothing short of spectacular. read more

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My milestone reviews always have to be something significant and so with this, my 600th, I sell you a bridge. The Williamsburg Bridge and I go waaaayy back to childhood. Memories include my father driving us over it, all the while cursing the traffic and vowing to move to Wyoming one day (note: that move still has not happened). But the real reason I love the Williamsburg Bridge has nothing to do with driving (the one time I drove over it, I was driving a shitty UHaul van moving my boyfriend and I to and from the East Village to Williamsburg. I was so tired, and on edge about driving in the outer lane, I almost had a panic attack). It has everything to do with the walking paths. I have walked over this bridge hundreds of times between the hours of 1 and 5 am. Trust me, there is no better time. You have the bridge to yourself. I bet you'd never imagine having a bridge to yourself in New York City. A couple years ago, my friend and I decided walking home from work down by Ground Zero to Williamsburg s far more desirable to taking the 4/5 and L trains, especially on stifling summer nights. We're talking open air stunning views of the city, here. You can't beat that. A bridge to yourself, open air stunning views of the city and a couple bottles of vino (hide those suckers or you'll be arrested) and in my opinion, you don't get a better time in New York City. That's the "safe" version. Then there were the times when the vino got the better of us. The fearless friend (FF) decided to climb the fence that leads to the ladder/stairs that lead to the very top of the mother-effing bridge. I considered doing it several times. But back then all I wore were platform boots and I knew that this, combined with a paralyzing fear of heights, would make for precarious step climbing (god knows how many stories high). Not the best idea. My FF, OTOH, decided to do this dozens of times, both when we'd walk over and whenever he'd be close to having some kind of personal meltdown in life that summer. Sure, it's dangerous as hell. I don't need to tell you that. But you can't pay for this kind of solitude. Want to know what's even more dangerous? Walking across the high beams that go over the J train tracks. Dumbass FF did that too, while I watched on in horror, visions of his person falling into the path of a roaring train and being tossed into a FF salad for the pigeons and rats to feast on. Now both of these activities are absolutely illegal, so I'm not telling you that you should do either of these stupid, thrill-seeking activities. DON'T DO IT!!! So, be safe, you may even want to walk over with another person, no matter how tempting it is to be alone with your thoughts while surrounded by steel, sky scrapers and the elements. Believe me, I've walked over alone and when you're at the very middle of it, it seems endless. It would sure suck to feel like you're in the middle of 'nowhere' (while being the middle of everywhere!) with an undesirable type right behind you or waiting down the path for you. There's my advice. Now walk the Bridge! On second hand, what am I saying here? Don't walk the bridge. I like having it to myself whenever I return home, so I can stand at the very center of it, staring over the East River down far below, screaming, "I'm the Queen of Motherfucking Gotham!" as the J trains roar past. read more

I know it's just a bridge but I can justify my five stars here. It's an absolute miracle of the human effort. I always admire the amount of foresight the architects had when they were building these architectural marvels. Unlike Brooklyn Bridge(BB) this bridge offers much more to the pedestrians. Separate lane for pedestrians and bikers is a big relief for pedestrians. At BB it was a constant struggle for bikers and people jogging juggling for space. The bridge gives awesome view of the city skylines which is definitely worth watching. Hopefully coming summers I will be a regular at WB with my bike or just jogging. read more

I liked this as a walk more than the Brooklyn bridge, ok, you can't hear a thing (due to the trains) but it's quiet and I love the way you come into Manhattan over Chinatown. Looking for a tourist free view on to the island? Bring your headphones, plug into some of your fav music and hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as I did! read more

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For B's & my 6th anniversary, I got the Dead River Company [ http://myspace.com/thedeadrivercompany ] to write a song about how we met & perform it on the Williamsburg Bridge. B & I walked a bridge above the James River on our first date. Every anniversary, we cross another bridge together. The Williamsburg Bridge is our favorite spot above the East River. And so, just to up the ante a little, I got DRC (who we both LOVE) to hide out on the Manhattan side and break into song once we caught up with them. It was awful trying to keep this secret from B for two weeks, but I managed. Barely. It was awesome. Even the bike club that was crossing around the same time thought so -- they stopped and had a dance party! Thank you. Thank you! Thank you, Ross, Aniela, Nick, Matt, Vyvian, Mary and Tess! You folks are the best. I give the W'burg Bridge 2 thumbs up as a date spot and a place for cheap, fun, low-maintenance anniversary celebrations. read more

Williamsburg Bridge - Times Up! on W'burg Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

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Call me fickle. Call me easily distracted. But last week, I was in love with Brooklyn Bridge. This week, I have found me another... I really do like the Brooklyn Bridge. And on days when I don't have the energy to run the Williamsburg Bridge, I'll put up with the pesky tourist that can't seem to figure out how to maneuver between runners and bikers. Makes for a dangerous run. But today was a different day. I mustered enough energy to run the WB. It is a beautiful bridge, with the pedestrian and biker lanes soaring well above the car lanes. After you past the steep incline, the path diverges into two. One for bikers. One for pedestrians. I like this immensely. I don't have to worry about a biker running me over, because that almost happened when I was running the BB today. This is an extremely hard run after traversing the BB. But nevertheless that which does not kill you, only makes you stronger. I liked that this bridge was challenging. It made me want it more. It made me work extra hard. And most of all, it made me feel accomplished once I was back on the Brooklyn side. This is now my favorite bridge...for the moment. read more