On this night of the Oscars, we give the award for loudest bridge to... the Manhattan Bridge, which crosses the East River between northern Brooklyn and Manhattan's Chinatown. The bridge lies just north of the more well-known Brooklyn Bridge (subject of a bridge trek last year). The Manhattan Bridge does yeoman's work because it makes room not only for motor vehicles, but also pedestrians with a pedestrian walkway, bikes with a separate bicycle path, and subway tracks (hence the award). Despite a little cold weather in late February (definite cold weather bridge trekking garb required), it was time to take a walk across the Manhattan Bridge, and it didn't disappoint. It is certainly worth the time.
The pedestrian walkway lies on the south edge of the bridge, a little below the main car level, and the subway tracks are right next to the pedestrian walkway. How exactly a subway line goes over a river and not under it is beyond the scope of this discussion, but without a doubt a foot trek over the bridge has a definite urban feel because of those trains going by constantly. I'm pretty sure there was no subway station, however.
As a distraction from the loudness, the bridge provides great views down the East River. Through the protective fence along the edge of the walkway, we could easily see the majestic Brooklyn Bridge and also lower Manhattan, and we could make out the Statue of Liberty in the Harbor. The bridge also provides great views of the area of Brooklyn underneath the bridge, which apparently is known as DUMBO ("Down Underneath the Manhattan Bridge Overpass"). And the area underneath the bridge in Manhattan has a great collection of graffiti art on the buildings.
I will say that there was something "non-bridgeness" about the trek, because there was no open view across the other side. It was more of a feeling of walking in between a (very steep) river bank and a subway line--and I kind of associate subway lines with land. The openness of many bridges just wasn't there. But, yes, I knew it was a bridge, and I knew we were up pretty high.
The pedestrian walkway for the bridge is very utilitarian, getting the job done without much glitz. The walkways are pretty wide, 12 feet or so most of the way, and the fencing put up along the side clearly reduces the views at the relieving cost of security. There were two small cutouts for scenic observation areas, though the view was equally fine just about anywhere. It was our longest bridge trek thus far, at about 1.2 miles. The bridge is listed as having a clearance above the water of about 135 feet, and the walkways were on the lowest part of the bridge.
It is important to know the history of a bridge before trekking across it. This one was completed in 1912, so almost 30 years after the Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge was designed by Leon Moisseiff, who has the dubious fame as being the designer of the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge; that's the one that earned the nickname of Galloping Gertie and fell apart in a windstorm in 1940. That doesn't instill confidence, but the Manhattan Bridge has stood the test of time. We could feel a little movement, as I suppose we should on a suspension bridge, but nothing near galloping. This bridge gets a scariness rating of 14, with a 6 (out of a possible 10) for length, a 5 for height, and a mere 3 for width because of the lack of openness and the reassuring fencing.
Manhattan Bridge
Key Bridge, Washington DC (north walkway)
It's back to Key Bridge in Washington, which we walked across back in June, but this time we're going over the north-side pedestrian path. Have you ever gone over a bridge one way, and then coming back have it seem like a totally different experience, with different views, etc? Well, Key Bridge was like that for me, with views up the Potomac River and into Georgetown this time rather than down river to the monuments in DC. But I think there was more to it than that.
The last time I walked across, it was in June, a nice early summer day for Washington DC, about 90 degrees but with low humidity. Lots of people out using the pedestrian path. This time it was about 40 degrees out and, following a whole lot of days with freezing temperatures, the river below had a nontrivial layer of ice on it. There was no water movement on the surface, although it was clearly not "frozen over." I don't know if it's true or not, but I've heard it said that the movement of water below a bridge causes the brain of somebody looking down to have to keep re-equilibrating ever-so-slightly to keep balance, and causes some people dizziness or distress. I will say that looking down at ice seemed a lot easier for me than looking down at moving water. So, just like a walk down through the same nature trail must be a different experience every time, certainly for those who are into that sort of thing, so can be a walk across a bridge.
Proof that it was a layer of ice down there, a boat that I believe is called an "air boat" went up and down the river, under the bridge, while we were there (see photo above right). It kind of skimmed along the surface and was propelled, it would appear, by a powerful looking fan. Could be fun. Probably some serious wind chill, though.
So, a third of a mile walk across the river, then a third of a mile back. Not too long fortunately, given the cold. Maybe about 80 feet in the air. Nice wide sidewalks and high, though open, railings. I'll give it a lower scariness rating than going the other way, a 9 in total, because of the ice. So I guess it gets a rating of 3.5 for height, 1.5 for length, and 5 for width (those open railings), and a (seasonal) adjustment factor of -1 for the winter ice. I may have to check this side of the bridge out again after the thaw. But there will be more people out, and other things will probably be different, too. Never the same experience.
For more information on the bridge itself, see the previous post.
http://www.bridgetrek.com/2010/06/key-bridge-washington-dc-south-walkway.html
14th Street Bridge, Washington DC
One of the main commuter links between Washington, DC and Northern Virginia runs across the Potomac River at 14th Street, although the bridge itself is really Interstate 395. There are actually a set of bridges at the location, three for cars, and two for trains. They are collectively known as the 14th Street Bridge, but they really all have their own names. Fortunately for us, the northernmost of them, officially called the George Mason Memorial Bridge, contains a pedestrian and biking path. No one will write a song about the 14th Street Bridge, like with the 59th Street Bridge in New York City (really the Queensboro Bridge, with the song "Feeling Groovy", immortalized by Simon and Garfunkel, of course), but the lack of a song won't stop us from taking a walk across the bridge.
Bridges have been at that location since the early 1800s. The George Mason Memorial Bridge was built in 1962 to replace another bridge there that carried traffic southbound across the Potomac. It is a low, utilitarian bridge, getting the job done without any aesthetic fanfare. On the DC side of the Potomac, the bridge actually starts right across from the Jefferson Memorial, a very pretty location and a favorite especially during the spring cherry blossoms. We were able to park right below the bridge near the Jefferson Memorial and climb some steps up the side of the bridge and pop right onto the bridge's walkway. Right to the north, a little ways up the river, we could immediately see our old friend, the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
I hadn't planned for one thing about the walk yesterday morning across the bridge: a gusty wind turning a 35 degree temperature into a downright frigid trek. It sure wasn't windy on land, but out there in the middle of the Potomac, and suspended a mere 35 feet or so above the water, there was a nasty wind chill. Definitely no lounging around on this bridge. This one was all business.
On the scariness rating, removing the concern about frostbite, the bridge did have some challenges. A somewhat narrow sidewalk and very open sides were the biggest ones, but the bridge is very low, the railings are very high (about neck level), and the iron railings are close enough together that no wind gust will blow anyone off that bridge, no matter how cold it is. The bridge is about half a mile long at that point, making it a moderate length. So, we'll give it a 10.5 scariness rating, a 2 for height, 3 for length, and 5.5 for width (basically the openness of the sides and narrow sidewalk).
We survived the cold, but these winter bridge treks could be tough, and this bridge isn't even north of the Mason-Dixon line, and it's only December.
Bridges of Paris: Passerelle Leopold-Sedar-Senghor
The final bridge of Paris we'll report on will be the Passerelle Leopold-Sedar-Senghor, which is a footbridge over the Seine just next door to Pont de la Concorde (see previous post). A passerelle, apparently, translates to a gateway or footbridge, which I guess differentiates it from a bridge ("pont" in french), but it qualifies as a bridge to me. The Passerelle was completed in 1999, so it's very modern by Paris standards. It links the Tuileries Gardens (Jardin de Tuileries) with the Musee d'Orsay on the left bank, which houses an amazing collection of Impressionist art. There are benches to sit on in the middle of the bridge, allowing it to be somewhat of a hangout for people. There's a great statue of good old Thomas Jefferson at the entrance on one end.
The bridge has a bit of an arc, and the sides are a bit on the open side, so this is actually one of the scarier bridges we crossed in Paris, though still rather tame. And we can actually see through to the water at one point in the bridge, not a good characteristic. We don't have a rating system, however, for the scariest part of the bridge. Apparently it is a host to one of the great scams in Paris. Yes, my wife and I were unprepared for the old, found gold ring trick. We were walking on the bridge and an old woman walking toward us looks down and picks up a ring, shows it to us, asks us if it is ours (I think that's what she was saying), showed us some engraving supposedly showing it was pure gold (it wasn't), implored us to keep it, left it with us, then walked away, only to return a few seconds later asking for money. Back down onto the bridge goes the ring, and away we walk. Amazingly, on the other half of the bridge, an older man we were approaching reaches down to pick up something shiny, but before he can even straighten up, we were out of there, and quickly off the bridge. Rings come out of nowhere on that bridge. But, we rate bridges only for their natural scariness. This one gets a 6.5 (2 for height, 4 for width, and 0.5 for length). I think I'd stay away at night.
Bridges of Paris: Pont de la Concorde
The Pont de la Concorde is an arch, stone bridge connecting the Place de la Concorde, one of the most important public squares in Paris, with the left bank of the Seine. The bridge was built in the late 1700s, completed in 1791, using at least in part stones from the destroyed Bastille; that was, of course, during the time of the French Revolution. The bridge was later widened, but it is apparently the same basic structure.
The Place de la Concorde is an extremely impressive central square, containing an obelisk from Egypt that dates back to about 1000 B.C., and was given to France by Egypt in the 1800s. The square is at the edge of the Tuileries Gardens and the Champs-Elysees. A number of people were guillotined in the square during the French revolution, most notably King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Today, there's a lot of vehicular traffic that goes through the square.
The bridge, which is just south of the Place de la Concorde, offers nice views of the area. It is pretty low bridge, and very short at about 0.1 miles. One can see the Eiffel Tower clearly to the west. The bridge has wide sidewalks for pedestrians. The sides of the bridge are a little open, and just above waist level, but very solid stone. As with Pont Neuf, Pont de la Concorde is not a scary bridge. I give it a scariness rating of just 5.5, equal to Pont Neuf (3 for width, 0.5 for length, and 2 for height). As with Pont Neuf, it is to be enjoyed for its views and location.
Bridges of Paris: Pont Neuf
Moving on from London, let's see what the bridges of Paris have to offer. The Seine is pretty narrow, so we won't be looking at long bridges. But, boy, the City of Light has some interesting bridges to explore.
First stop is Pont Neuf (pronounced something like PON-NUF). Despite its name (which translates to "New Bridge"), it's the oldest bridge in Paris, completed way back in 1607. We can't pass up the opportunity to cross that bridge. It connects the left and right banks of the Seine to the Île de la Cité, a small island that contains the gems of the Notre-Dame Cathedral and the church of Sainte-Chapelle.
Pont Neuf is an arch bridge made out of stone, carrying both vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Like much of the city, it is a bridge meant to be walked. It has beautiful views down the river as far as the Eiffel Tower and back towards Sainte Chapelle and Notre Dame. It has little alcoves on it with seats carved out of the stone, always a sign of a good walking bridge. There was construction of some type on the road part of the bridge, but the pedestrian walkways were unaffected when we were there. The bridge is not high, but that doesn't stop the beauty of the views. A definite must during a visit to Paris. 
Unless you're worried that a 400-year old bridge has reached the end of its useful lifetime (it was last renovated just a few years ago, so no worry there), it isn't a scary bridge at all: wide sidewalks, completely solid sides (though not overly high at just above waist level), very short in overall length (about 0.1 miles), not very high above the water (I can't find any official stats, so I estimate at 40 feet). A trek onto this bridge is for pure enjoyment. I give it a scariness rating of 5.5 (2 for height, 3 for width, and 0.5 for length).
Bridges of London: Millennium Bridge
Bridge walking in London wouldn't be complete without a trek over the Millennium Bridge. It's a footbridge, no vehicle traffic, that was opened in, of course, 2000. It is located just south of St. Paul's Cathedral and crosses the Thames and connects to the Tate Modern art museum on the south bank. This bridge had a serious swaying problem immediately after opening in 2000, then was quickly closed for a couple of years while it was reinforced somehow. And I'm sure you didn't miss how it collapsed during one of the Harry Potter movies. Despite that checkered past, we were willing to give it a try and stroll across.
It is a short bridge, about 0.2 miles, like Tower Bridge and probably most bridges across the Thames in London. Millennium Bridge is pretty wide, at about 13 feet. The bridge is listed at about 35 feet above the water, so it's not all that high, either. Its great views, you might say, come from being exceptionally open on the sides. To me, the railing looked like little pieces of tight string horizontally. But, fortunately, upon closer inspection it was metal like the rest of the bridge. The sides are around chest high. So, the sides of the bridge make it a more challenging bridge to cross than, say, Tower Bridge. The bridge gets a scariness rating of 8 (5 for the sides--not for the width or height but for the openness, 2 for bridge height, and 1 for length). 
The bridge allows a great view back at St. Paul's Cathedral, the great architectural achievement of Christopher Wren from the 17th Century. The Cathedral somehow survived the Blitz in 1940-41. And looking out into the water, other bridges of the Thames can easily be seen, including Tower Bridge to the east. All in all, definitely worth the trip, especially combining a trip to St. Paul's and then going over to the Tate Modern.