Back in November 2023 Central Park shared a tweet stating that Bow Bridge–one of the park’s most popular and heavily visited locations–would temporarily be closed through January of this year for renovations. Though today, Wednesday, January 10th, the Central Park Conservancy announced that Bow Bridge has officially reopened!
Bridge renovations included replacing the wood decking that, throughout the years of being so loved by the public, had undergone immense wear-and-tear.
The repair process involved:
- Researching historic photographs to identify the number of planks and decking size for the Bridge floor
- Replacing the existing decking with new wood that is harder and has greater durability
- Mechanically scraping and painting several beams under the deck to stabilize and protect them from future corrosion
Bow Bridge was originally constructed in 1862. It offers expansive views of the lake and surrounding landscape, and has served as the site of numerous wedding proposals.
Though the bridge has reopened, 12-acres-worth of Central Park’s Great Lawn is still closed, and will remain closed until April of this year. More on that here.