By Gus Saltonstall
The Bow Bridge and its graceful curve within Central Park will be closed until the new year for repairs.
The iconic bridge, used as a major entrance to the Ramble near 73rd Street and a connection to a path toward Bethesda Terrace, shuttered for renovation on Monday, November 27, and will be closed through January of 2024.
“We’re replacing the wood decking to enhance the experience from one of the most beloved locations in the Park,” Central Park Conservancy wrote in a social media post on Monday morning.
The Bow Bridge was constructed in 1862 by Calvert Vaux, who was one of Central Park’s designers along with Frederick Olmsted. The bridge got its name from the arch shape that resembles an archer’s bow, and is the oldest cast-iron bridge in the park.
The spot remains one of the most iconic and photographed elements of Central Park.
The work on the Bow Bridge adds to a long list of projects that the Central Park Conservancy has been undertaking as of late, including the restoration of the Great Lawn following damage from the Global Citizen Festival, the “revitalization” of the Delacorte Theater for its free Shakespeare in the Park, and the construction of a new pool and ice skating rink at the Harlem Meer Center.
Here are other projects the Central Park Conservancy is currently working on:
- Restoration lawn work at Pilgrim Hill due to significant dog-related damage.
- Parts of the Reservoir running track closed starting Monday, November 27, as the surface gets renovated.
- Parts of the Conservatory Garden continue to be closed due to ongoing restoration work.
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so what’s the best way to get from that side to the other now?
Either around the boathouse or there’s a bridge from the west side. The pond is really not that large and the walk around it is not that long. You’re a New Yorker! lol
swim
Walking around the east side of the lake, rounding the corner at Loeb Boathouse.
Shut it down during the holidays so tourists can’t use it. What a dumb idea.
There are busier tourist seasons than late Fall/Winter. I don’t expect that tourists will cancel their NY travel plans over this.
There’s an inclination to criticize and a sense that everyone knows better. It’s not becoming.
Why doesn’t CPC allow dog runs? Places like Pilgram Hill get over used for the regular public, while areas such as that behind Boys Gate is a completely unused area that is filled with garbage.
The Franz Sigel stairs are not iconic like the Bow Bridge in Central Park. Three months since that car crashed through them the police tape has been refreshed and the damaged block of granite has been removed. When do we expect the Franz Sigel stairs to be restored? What has to happen to make that restoration happen? What part does No Fault insurance play in this? Who pays for the restoration? I hope I don’t. I don’t even drive a car.