New York Greenway: Manhattan Bridge

Only in New York would a bike path on concrete next to iron girders and careening subway cars be part of something called a "Greenway."

According to the Parks Department, "A greenway is a linear open space, such as a path or trail, which links parks and communities around the City, providing public access to green spaces and the waterfront. Greenways expand recreational opportunities for walking, jogging, biking, and in-line skating."

The Manhattan Bridge path, which opened in 2004, links the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway and the Brooklyn Greenway. So it, too, is a "greenway." I think the city should at least paint it green, matching some of the bike paths around the city. In a piece published on May 14m 2008, Joshua Benson, the bicycle program coordinator for the New York City Department of Transportation, answered readers' questions about bicycling in New York, including one about painting bike paths green.