The Citizen Bridge is one of the more offbeat and compelling artist-led projects designed for New York City's waterfront. The proposed 1,400-foot floating pedestrian span would reach from Brooklyn to Governors Island, otherwise accessible only by ferry, for a mere 24 hours.
More than 500 people have contributed to the project's now successful Kickstarter, providing the $25,000 needed to construct a proof-of-concept prototype and bring the Citizen Bridge one step closer to reality.
Interestingly, the bridge would recreate a lost piece of the harbor's past—more than a century ago, a natural land bridge spanned the East River and connected Governors Island to Brooklyn. Local farmers would stroll over to the island at low tide and graze their cattle on land where the waterway exists today.
The brainchild of Brooklyn artist Nancy Nowacek, the Citizen Bridge has spent four years in development with the help of nearly 200 volunteers including engineers, kids, and boat captains.
Because the waterway is an active route for cruise ships, container barges, and other boats, the bridge can only exist (and close down the channel) for a single day.
Last summer, the team successfully field-tested a full-scale version of the bridge's floating segments. Next up: an even bigger prototype.
Citizen Bridge: a floating pedestrian bridge [Kickstarter]
People Will Be Able To Cross Buttermilk Channel By Foot Again [Curbed]
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