Wednesday, June 21, 2023

Governor Hochul Announces Opening of High Line-Moynihan Connector on Manhattan’s West Side

 Highline connector in midtown manhattan's west side

600-Foot-Long Elevated Path Adds New Woodland and Timber Bridges, Knits Together New Public Spaces and Public Transit Surrounding Moynihan Train Hall

Latest Addition to the High Line Opens to Public Tomorrow, June 22

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the opening of the new High Line - Moynihan Connector, a stunning new elevated pathway for pedestrians in the heart of Manhattan, with The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Brookfield Properties and Friends of the High Line. The Connector knits together new public spaces and public transit surrounding Moynihan Train Hall with the High Line, allowing pedestrians an uninterrupted, accessible and safe path all the way from West Midtown to the West Village. It officially opens to the public tomorrow, June 22.

"The High Line is an outstanding example of effective public-private partnership, and this latest addition will enhance this attraction for New Yorkers and visitors alike," Governor Hochul said. "Thanks to state resources and the combined efforts of Friends of the High Line and Brookfield, the High Line - Moynihan Connector will add 600 feet of new open space to transform one of New York City's busiest neighborhoods. This project is a testament to the power of smart, sustainable design, enhancing one of the most beloved parts of the city, and I encourage New Yorkers and visitors to take advantage of this beautiful new space."

Design for the 600-foot long, L-shaped High Line - Moynihan Connector began in February 2021 and the project broke ground in February 2022, completing construction in just 18 months. The Connector has two distinct sections: a richly planted, 340-foot Woodland Bridge that runs above West 30th Street from the High Line's terminus at the Spur and a 260-foot, one-block-long Timber Bridge, built from sustainably sourced Alaskan Yellow Cedar, that runs north above Dyer Avenue toward the adjacent Magnolia Court pedestrian plaza at Manhattan West. The project also includes significant safety improvements at street level, including new pedestrian signals, lighting, crosswalks, refuge islands and large planters.

The Connector is the result of a $50 million public-partnership established in 2021 among Friends of the High Line, Empire State Development, and Brookfield Properties, running above property owned by The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. As part of the three-way partnership, ESD contributed $20 million, Brookfield contributed $20 million, and Friends of the High Line contributed $10 million to the project. The project's innovative design was a collaboration by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and James Corner Field Operations. The Connector is owned by Empire State Development and will be operated and maintained by the Friends of the High Line, with structural maintenance oversight by AECOM.

The 1.5-mile High Line is a public park that operates under a license agreement and with partnership from the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, which has made the park possible.

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