Carroll Street Bridge Proposals

The Carroll Street Bridge is the second bridge crossing Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal, situated between the Union Street and Third Street Bridges. It is the most interesting of the Gowanus Canal Bridges in that it is the only wooden bridge of the bunch and the oldest of three remaining retractable bridges in the United States (see Untapped New York article). Unfortunately, it has been closed since 2021 for repair and meintenance work. The Bridge is reportedly reopening in the near future (I am not holding my breath). According to Streetsblog, community stakeholders are pushing to have the bridge closed to vehicular traffic and open only to “pedestrians and cyclists.” As a pedestrian, I oppose the “pedestrians and cyclists” framing because cyclists belong with the vehicles (and, pertinent to New York City problems, off the sidewalks). However, I can second the proposal so long as cyclists stay in their bike lanes on the Bridge.