City Gives Detailed Preview of West Thames Pedestrian Bridge

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The West Thames Street Pedestrian Bridge, scheduled to open above West Street in late 2016, will be surrounded by mesh fencing and feature a double lenticular truss. Rendering: Economic Development Corp.

The walkway of the steel-and-concrete bridge will rise 18 feet above West Street. The bridge's two elevator shafts (one shown at far right) will be encased in fritted glass. Rendering: Economic Development Corp.

The pedestrian bridge will be 12 feet wide and crowned by a glass roof that will drain rainwater into a planting median in the middle of West Street. Rendering: Economic Development Corp.

The bridge's eastern landing will connect to a public plaza, part of the future 50 West St. apartment-hotel complex. The eastern sidewalk will be widened to accommodate the landing, and the plaza will likely be elevated for protection against flooding during future storms. Rendering: Economic Development Corp.

The bridge's western landing will lead to the existing dog run that is next to West Street. Three trees currently located at the corner of the dog run will be replanted elsewhere, according to the bridge's architect. Rendering: Economic Development Corp.

The current design of the bridge's western staircase includes two landings, 22 steps and a glass-panel covering. Rendering: Economic Development Corp.

The bridge's elevators, one at each end, will be equipped with emergency buttons or phones. Rendering: Economic Development Corp.

The city and its architects revealed revised, detailed renderings of the West Thames Street Pedestrian Bridge that will span West Street, linking Battery Park City to the Financial District. The bridge, ex­pected to be completed by late 2016, will have a double lenticular truss (two joined parabolic forms) and be accessible by stairs and elevators on each end.

The latest images, presented last month to the city’s Public Design Com­mission for review, show a light-grey, steel-and-concrete bridge covered by a glass roof and enclosed with mesh material. At night, the bridge will glow with blue LED lighting.

“The intent is that this is a very light, elegant structure,” said WXY Arch­i­tecture + Urban Design architect Claire Weisz, who presented the latest design to Community Board 1’s Battery Park City Committee. The glass covering, she added, is meant to “create a sense of sky.” Rainwater from the roof will go into a bioswale, a sloped area in the middle of the structure that will transport it into a nearby planting median on West Street.

The bridge’s design is “well within budget,” Matt Best, a city program manager on the project, told the CB1 committee. The project will be paid for with federal funds through the Lower Man­hattan De­velopment Corp. and Battery Park City Authority. “If there is an overage,” he added, “that’s still to be worked out in the next round of discussion.”

The committee, while applauding the project, voiced concern about the durability of the bridge’s elevators, since the elevators on other West Street bridges in the area have often broken down.

“We’re aware of your concerns,” Qi Ye of Weidlinger Associates, the bridge’s joint designer, told the committee, “and we’re trying to find ways to improve the performance of elevators.” The BPCA, Best noted, will maintain the elevators. Larger repairs will be done by the city Department of Transportation.

The bridge will replace one at Rector Street, which will be dismantled. Final plans are expected by June, and work is due to begin in the fall of 2014.