Is the Joseph P. Addabbo Bridge scary?

June 14, 2009 6:03 PM

I would like to bike to the Rockaways. How scary is the bike path over the Joseph P. Addabbo Bridge?

I have vertigo but I like to ride my bike around New York's outer boroughs. I have tried to get to the Rockaways before but I couldn't make it over the Gil Hodges Bridge. Too exposed, too much opportunity to look down and see the drop to the water beneath. For whatever reason, I can handle the Cross Bay Memorial Veterans Bridge. So if I can make i across the Addabbo, I think I'll be fine. Can people give me their sense of how challenging it would be for someone afraid of heights?

A reference point might help assess my levels of tolerance for heights: I'm ok on the Queensboro, not on the Triboro. Most definitely not.

posted by Morpeth to travel & transportation (3 comments total)

IIRC, you won't have any height issues on that bridge. It's been a few years since I've been on it, so don't take mine as the last word.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 6:32 PM on June 14

It's been a few years since I biked over that bridge, but I drove over it this morning. I'm pretty sure that the bike/pedestrian lane is separated from the edge of the bridge by a screened chain link fence. This is to keep bicyclists from colliding with fishermen. It's also a very low bridge to begin with, basically a causeway. I think you'll be fine.
posted by boots at 8:30 PM on June 14

My thanks to both of you. It sounds like I can handle this one.
posted by Morpeth at 9:16 AM on June 15