NYC Parks Cuts Ribbon on Manhattan Waterfront Greenway Accessible Ramp

NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, today joined Congressman Charles Rangel, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Council Members Ydanis Rodriguez and Mark Levine, Assemblyman Guillermo Linares, Commissioner Victor Calise, Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities, Community Board 12 Chair George Fernandez and other community members to cut the ribbon on the newly constructed Manhattan Waterfront Greenway Accessible Ramp. Located at the north end of Fort Washington Park, the ramp provides a more direct, ADA-compliant, connection from Dyckman Street to the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway.

"Accessibility to greenspaces comes in many forms, from proximity within our neighborhoods, to equitable distribution of funds for parks in high-need areas across the five boroughs," said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. "Constructing this ADA-compliant ramp provides a much improved universal access point onto the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway for the able-bodied while opening up a whole new world of access for those who are disabled."

Congressman Charles Rangel stated: "I'm very proud to have joined Commissioner Silver and community leaders in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly constructed Manhattan Waterfront Greenway ramp in Fort Washington Park. This greenspace will help promote a healthier lifestyle for people in our community and provide easier access for individuals with disabilities to enjoy the outdoors. I thank the NYC Parks for continuing to show its commitment to improving the quality of life of all NYC residents."

"This much-needed, fully accessible switchback ramp will allow all New Yorkers to reach the beautiful Hudson River trail," said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. "I congratulate the Parks Department for its perseverance in completing this project and am thrilled it's open just in time for the height of the fall season."

Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez stated, "Our greenspaces are a common good meant to be shared and enjoyed by all, regardless of race, gender, class or disability. With this ADA-compliant ramp, we not only make our waterfront more accessible, but open up the entirety of the Manhattan greenway to every resident of Inwood! I applaud Commissioner Silver for his dedication to accessibility and for giving Inwood the resources it needs."

"If our parks system is going to be for every New Yorker, then it must include New Yorkers with disabilities. The new ramp at the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway is consistent with that principle, and this space will now be accessible and inclusive to all," said Council Member Mark Levine, Chair of the City Council Parks Committee.

Assembly Member Guillermo Linares shared, "Access to our parks and the waterfront represents a gigantic step forward for the Washington Heights-Inwood community. I am proud that collaboration across three levels of government-federal, state and city-made this possible. I want to commend the NYC Parks, Commissioner Silver and his staff for their hard work and dedication to providing universal access."

"Washington Heights-Inwood welcomes this latest improvement to the wonderful parks in our community," said George Fernandez, chair of Community Board 12-Manhattan. "It helps fulfill our goal of making public facilities, streets and parks accessible to all, a goal that the Parks Department has shown that it shares with this major investment. Fort Washington Park is a very special park, and this ramp will make it possible for people who live here and those from outside the community to discover its beautiful views of the Hudson River, the Palisades and the George Washington Bridge."

The Manhattan Waterfront Greenway Accessible Ramp provides access to the greenway for people with disabilities, parents with strollers, pedestrians, joggers and cyclists. The 1100-foot-long, switch-back ramp includes new lighting, railings and retaining walls, pavement markings and signage, and numerous trees and plantings. This last major link in the greenway on the west side connects the most northern parts of Manhattan with the most southern, and links Inwood to the Bronx, creating an opportunity for people to bicycle to work by way of the greenway.

This project, which also included other improvements made in Inwood Hill Park across Dyckman Street, was funded with a $4.2 million federal highway grant administered by the state and $2.9 million in Mayoral funds via PlaNYC. It is the latest PlaNYC capital project completed in recent years in Fort Washington Park, making the park a more attractive destination for park users by adding a discovery playground, two new ballfields, a soccer field, volleyball courts, picnic areas and the Upper Fort Washington Waterfront Path, which opened last year and stretches nearly a mile into Washington Heights.

Photo by NYC Parks/Daniel Avila