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Inwood Waterfront Greenway Opens to Public After Major Overhaul

By Lindsay Armstrong | July 11, 2014 4:56pm | Updated on July 14, 2014 8:44am
 The one mile path for pedestrians and cyclists stretches south from Dyckman Street.
Waterfront Greenway Opens to Public After Major Overhaul
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INWOOD — A mile stretch of waterfront greenway running south from Dyckman Street was recently opened to the public after undergoing a major facelift.

Newly minted Fort Washington Park North was formerly an overgrown gravel path that led south from Dyckman Street near the entrance to popular party spot La Marina. As part of a multimillion-dollar restoration project for all of Fort Washington Park, the area was transformed into a paved path for pedestrians and cyclists.

New lights and planting beds were installed along the path, which opened to the public at the end of June. In addition, the path branches off in several places to small seating areas offering views of the Hudson River and the George Washington Bridge.

The path extends for about 1 mile from Dyckman to 184th Street before ending in a cul de sac, and does not currently connect to other sections of Fort Washington Park or the Hudson River Greenway.

Under PlaNYC, the city has invested $30.4 million to restore Fort Washington Park, which runs from 155th Street to Dyckman Street along the Hudson River. In December 2013, $11 million worth of renovations were completed on the stretch of the park running from 158th to 168th Streets, including a new playground, playing fields, picnic areas and bike paths.

Other projects, including an ADA ramp at Dyckman Street, are still under way.

Inwood resident Gilbert Dejean explored the path last week and said it's a big improvement.

"We walked down a couple of days ago, my wife and I, and it's pretty amazing," he said. "There are lots and lots of birds. They love the Black-Eyed Susans."

While Dejean said he enjoyed walking along the path, he hoped that it would someday be connected to the rest of Greenway.

"Right now, it's nice but doesn't really connect to anything. You walk about three-quarters of a mile and have to turn around, so it's not very useful for more than a quick stroll."

Phil Abramson, a spokesman for the  Parks Department, noted that the property beyond the southern end of the path belongs to Amtrak, but said the goal is to extend it.

"Long term, with additional funding and collaboration with Amtrak, NYC Parks plans to extend this greenway to the Little Red Lighthouse [under the George Washington Bridge]" he said in an email.