A 130-Year-Old Bridge in Need of a Revival
The Terrace Bridge, an iconic landmark in Prospect Park, has been in dire need of repair for nearly four mayoral administrations. The bridge, built by renowned designer Calvert Vaux in 1890, was once envisioned as the centerpiece of an elaborate area featuring restaurants, terraces, and arcades. However, the original layout was never fully realized, leaving the structure to stand as a testament to the past.
The bridge's current state is nothing short of disheveled, with weeds overgrowing its concrete surfaces and graffitied guardrails that seem to be on the verge of collapse. Inspectors deemed it "poor" condition back in 2009, and despite the city Department of Transportation launching a rehab project in 2020, the repairs are still in the early stages – partly due to pandemic-related delays.
The delay has only added to the bridge's neglect, with park-goers expressing their dismay at its state. "It looks like they really did put a lot of care into the structure and the design of the bridge," said Vincent Yuan, 15. "They should go and try to repair it. This is a beautiful bridge."
The estimated cost of repairs is a staggering $35 million, with some officials mulling over the option of replacing the bridge entirely with a new one that mirrors its original design. While this would undoubtedly preserve the bridge's historic integrity, it also raises questions about the practicality and feasibility of such a project.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the bridge's future, many park-goers have fond memories of exploring the area as children. "I used to just walk around there trying to catch turtles," said Jose Ortigoza, 15. "A lot of people have grown up with it."
For some, like Kate Demidovich, the idea of preserving the bridge's historic significance is paramount. "I like that New York government will keep this safe for history, for heritage. I hope that they're going to restore it," she said.
As the city weighs its options and considers the Terrace Bridge's fate, one thing is clear: this 130-year-old landmark deserves a revival – one that honors its past while also ensuring its continued relevance in the present.
The Terrace Bridge, an iconic landmark in Prospect Park, has been in dire need of repair for nearly four mayoral administrations. The bridge, built by renowned designer Calvert Vaux in 1890, was once envisioned as the centerpiece of an elaborate area featuring restaurants, terraces, and arcades. However, the original layout was never fully realized, leaving the structure to stand as a testament to the past.
The bridge's current state is nothing short of disheveled, with weeds overgrowing its concrete surfaces and graffitied guardrails that seem to be on the verge of collapse. Inspectors deemed it "poor" condition back in 2009, and despite the city Department of Transportation launching a rehab project in 2020, the repairs are still in the early stages – partly due to pandemic-related delays.
The delay has only added to the bridge's neglect, with park-goers expressing their dismay at its state. "It looks like they really did put a lot of care into the structure and the design of the bridge," said Vincent Yuan, 15. "They should go and try to repair it. This is a beautiful bridge."
The estimated cost of repairs is a staggering $35 million, with some officials mulling over the option of replacing the bridge entirely with a new one that mirrors its original design. While this would undoubtedly preserve the bridge's historic integrity, it also raises questions about the practicality and feasibility of such a project.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the bridge's future, many park-goers have fond memories of exploring the area as children. "I used to just walk around there trying to catch turtles," said Jose Ortigoza, 15. "A lot of people have grown up with it."
For some, like Kate Demidovich, the idea of preserving the bridge's historic significance is paramount. "I like that New York government will keep this safe for history, for heritage. I hope that they're going to restore it," she said.
As the city weighs its options and considers the Terrace Bridge's fate, one thing is clear: this 130-year-old landmark deserves a revival – one that honors its past while also ensuring its continued relevance in the present.
it's been neglected for like forever & it's heartbreaking to see it in such disrepair 
i mean, can you even imagine walking across it as a kid and feeling all excited & adventurous? 
it's like, the city should totally invest in restoring it, not just cos of its history but also because it's still got so much character 
$35 million might seem like a lot, but think about all the memories people have made on that bridge 
& what a shame it would be to see it get torn down entirely 
i hope they find a way to revive it without losing its unique charm 
anyway, $35m sounds like a lot, but i think it's worth it to save that old design its actually really cool 
i wish they could just restore it and not replace it with a new one thats just too modern 
. replacing it entirely would be a shame tho - just imagine how much character this place has lost already 
. i guess the city's gotta weigh its options and think about what's best for the park and all the memories people have made there... maybe they could even get some private donations to help with the repairs? 
I mean, I get why they wanna preserve history and all, but $35 million is some serious scratch! Maybe instead of rebuilding it from scratch, they could just, like, repaint the whole thing in a more Instagrammable color scheme 
it's like vincent yuan said, they should totes try to fix it. & yeah, $35 mil might sound like a lot, but can u imagine how iconic it'll be once it's all fixed up? 
& i get what kate demidovich means too... preserving the heritage is important. 
maybe we just gotta accept that some bridges r meant 2 be old & creaky, lol.
Let them restore it to its former glory, so we can all appreciate its beauty and significance 
. And yeah, $35 million might seem like a lot, but think about all the memories people are going to make on this bridge when it's fixed up... it'll be worth it 
.
. Like, why fix what ain't broke? The original design is iconic for a reason! 
. It's crazy that it's been four mayoral administrations and still nothing has been done about it 
. $35 million is a lot of cash, but honestly who cares about the money when it comes to preserving history? 
The thought of replacing the whole thing with a new one just feels like they're throwing the baby out with the bathwater 
. Let's bring back the original design and fix this bridge already! 
. Either way, I think preserving its original design would be amazing 
. Just imagine how cool it'll look when it's all fixed up 
. Let's hope our city officials get their act together and save this beauty 
It's not just about fixing it up, though – it's about preserving the vibe of the whole Prospect Park area. What happened to those arcades and terraces, anyway? 
I want to see some serious TLC go into this renovation! 
.
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I mean, I've seen some rough stuff on Stranger Things, but this is like something out of a horror movie. 
The fact that they're considering replacing it with an exact replica? That's just wild, you know? 
15-year-old Vincent Yuan just said it "looks like they really did put a lot of care into the structure" - give me all the feels! 
. It's just sad that it took this long for some repairs to be done.
. I mean, who wouldn't want to visit Prospect Park and see a beautiful old bridge like that? It's definitely worth saving and giving some TLC 
. I wish they'd get their act together and give this bridge the TLC it needs. It's a piece of history, after all!