Special Hours In Effect For Manayunk Bridge

The Manayunk Bridge is now open to foot and bicycle traffic, and the Cynwyd Heritage Trail in Lower Merion has been connected to the Schuylkill River Trail in Manayunk, once and for all.

It’s a boon for bikers, walkers, and even some commuters. But there are restrictions.

There are gates at either entrance to the bridge, and the close each evening and open each night.

From November 1 through March 31, the gates close at 6 p.m. and reopen again at 8 a.m.

From April 1 thorugh October 31, the gates will close at 9 a.m. and open at 8 a.m.

Essentially the gates will be open during most daylight hours.

According to the Bicycle Coalition, the gates close during those hours for several reasons.

To begin with, trail is part of the parks, which officially close at dusk. Parks are not always gated off in such a way, however.

The next reason is that organizers are still seeking funding to install lighting along the bridge. Light fixtures were not in the initial budget.

Several responded with confusion and frustration to the news. Philadelphia Magazine’s Emily Leaman was particularly displeased:

But I can’t help but shake my head at this particularly unfortunate oversight: that we have this great amenity (yay!), which can’t really be used as a viable means of transportation (boo). At least, not for the time being.

The not-so-satisfying conclusion to all of this is that the hours will remain unchanged until the lights go in. 

Many of those who had lobbied for the trails to be connected and the bridge opened had done so it hopes that it contributed to a more sustainable and bike-friendly commute.

There is no word when the light fixtures can be expected.