Manhattan Bridge vs Brooklyn Bridge: Which Bridge is Better to Walk On?

By: ROS Team

The Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge both are cultural icons for New Yorkers. They are historical, they are strong, and they are beautiful. Both are epic in their own right.

Let us Get to Know What are their Best Features?

Manhattan Bridge

The Manhattan Bridge is one of the three suspension bridges built across the East River which connects Manhattan at Canal Street with Brooklyn. It was designed by Leon Moisseiff and work started in 1901 which took nine years to complete and finally was opened for traffic on December 31, 1909.

Traffic and crowd are one thing you can never get rid of in metropolitan cities such as New York. Compared to sister bridges Manhattan Bridge has slightly less crowd. The pedestrian track is separate from the bike’s lane so you would not blend with them. Though subways cross the bridge and fill the environment with noise.

From Manhattan Bridge, you would have an appealing glimpse of the surroundings and it reflects a picturesque view. However, the bridge has fencing on the sides which does not give much freedom to experiment with the lens.

If you take a walk on the Manhattan Bridge, it goes well down in the lane of your memories. The least wanted thing while walking on the bridge is the noise when subway trains pass. Along with the noise, you may feel that the whole structure shakes during that which is enough for a new visitor to become nervous. However, hold your nerves it is quite safe and solid. Besides, you may experience the view through traveling in one of many train lines passes over the Manhattan Bridge.

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The bridge suspends above the city streets of Chinatown which allows you to see how grandeur is the surroundings.

Pros:

The best feature is that the bike lane is separate from the pedestrian path. So you may have a comfortable walk.
It has a less crowd compared to the other nearby bridges which are pure luxury in NYC.

Cons:

The bridge is covered by a web of wires over the railing which does not let you have a better view of the surroundings.

Brooklyn Bridge:

The magnificent bridge across the East River connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Historically, it was the first permanent bridge on the east river started constructed in 1870. At the time of its construction, it was the longest suspension bridge. It got its official name in 1915: the Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge was designed by German-born civil engineer John A. Roebling. It was opened for traffic on May 24, 1883.

If we talk about the most interesting thing you may do on the bridge, it is to take a walk over the bridge and see the city from the bridge. However, compared to the Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge tends to be full of people. In addition to it, there is no separate lane for bike riders and you got to share the space with them along the way which sometimes becomes uncomfortable.

The best feature of having a walk on the Brooklyn Bridge is catching those iconic views. You may click the best photos of your life on the bridge. The journey would be defined by how many clicks you do on the way. Plus, you may also find benches and people selling drinks while there is no such luxury available on the Manhattan Bridge.

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Pros:

For a walk, there is an elevated track above traffic for a better experience.
It is iconic in its own right which enriches life by merely walking on it.
For the selfies and pictures, you would get the best view.

Cons:

You got to share space with bikes both ways which make walking a bit uncomfortable.
The bridge remains crowded for most of the day.

Which Bridge is Better to Walk On?

Apart from the discussion of which is better and which enriches the soul more, walk on both the bridges if you can spare extra time. They are unique in their own ways. Crossing them over on a shiny weekend is a worth having experience.

If you get to choose for time management reasons, get your feet on the Brooklyn Bridge, it is magnificent and picturesque. And if you do not have enough time for one bridge and just want to have a glimpse, visit the Manhattan Bridge and stay away from Brooklyn Bridge especially on weekends because of the rush and crowd.

A wheelchair facility is better at the Manhattan Bridge compared to the other bridge.

Some General Tips:

In a normal routine, you would not find a facility to buy something for drinking or eat. Occasionally, you could come across a person selling overpriced drinks. So, the best option is to bring water with you, especially on a hot day.
If you happen to visit it on a chilled day, bring in an overcoat with you as it becomes quite cold above there.
For a walk over the bridge, never compromise on what is between you and the road: a good pair of shoes.
You would certainly be taking a lot of pictures, but stay alert to the surroundings.
People sometimes do adventurous moves such as sitting on the wall to capture better shots in camera. Never try it as you never know when you lose the balance.