Moynihan Connector ready to welcome visitors to the High Line in Manhattan
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Just in time for the busy summer travel season, the long-awaited Moynihan Connector is ready for visitors.
"This showcases the natural beauty, the plantings, how magnificent are they, the streetscapes the chance to see from a different vantage point how magnificent this city is," Governor Kathy Hochul said.
The two connecting bridges now allow people to reach the High Line from the Moynihan Train Hall without having to cross multiple streets.
The project is finally coming to life two years after it was announced by former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
"For years our neighbors in our community have talked with us about how unsafe, inaccessible, unwelcoming the streets around the Lincoln Tunnel have been," said Alan van Capelle, Executive Director of Friends of the High Line. "The connector is an answer to that problem, a green, welcoming, safe, accessible space."
This effectively links West Midtown to the West Village, but those behind the project say it's about more than just convenience for pedestrians.
With 63 new trees, 90 shrubs, and thousands of other plants, it's also a green space in the midst of concrete.
"How exciting is it that we've created more outdoor space we have flora and trees that otherwise would not be in this space and would otherwise be a hotbed of pollution as much of our city has been over the years," said Keisha Sutton-James, Deputy Manhattan Borough President.
The Moynihan Connector officially opens to the public Thursday.
The next part of this project plans to connect the High Line westward to Hudson River Park.
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