Penn Station’s glowing expansion, the fairly new Moynihan Train Hall, will soon be connected to one of NYC’s best parks, the High Line.
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo made the announcement back in his 2021 State of the State address, saying that it would be part of “the most ambitious redevelopment that New York City has seen in decades” (including other plans for redeveloping the West Side like Penn Station renovations & more).
The High Line extension will cost $50 million, paid for through a public-private partnership including the Empire State Development, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Brookfield Properties Group, and Friends of the High Line.
The new elevated path, called the “Moynihan Connector,” will join the High Line at 30th Street to the Moynihan Train Hall through the new Manhattan West public plaza on 31st Street and Dyer Avenue. New Yorkers will be able to walk from Penn Station to the Meatpacking District by only crossing a singular street!
This will be done through two intersecting bridges: the landscaped Woodlands Bridge that will extend eastward from the existing High Line Spur (parallel to 30th Street) along Dyer Avenue from 10th Avenue to the mid-block between 9th and 10th Avenues, where it will connect to a second Timber Bridge that was installed 25-feet above Dyer Avenue between West 30th and West 31st Streets on Saturday, May 6th. The 128-ton, 600-foot-long connector will be open to the public this summer, effectively linking Midtown to the West Village.
The entire project will end on 9th Avenue directly across from the entrance to the Farley Building and the new Moynihan Train Hall. Ground broke on the Connector in February 2022, and construction ramped up in the past year.
The green-ified Woodland Bridge will essentially function as a 370-foot-long planter, with custom-shaped precast concrete panels that can hold up to five feet of soil and will become home to flowers, plants and even large-scale trees. The bridge’s walkway will be suspended over the planter soil, with perforations for rainwater, allowing for natural irrigation.
In addition to natural elements, the bridges could also provide more space for the High Line’s famous public art installations.
Extending the High Line will give pedestrians safe, unobstructed access to the far West Side of Manhattan via two bridges that will connect to the 10th Avenue terminus of the High Line, the original press release shares.
“Despite the challenges and difficulties presented by COVID-19, New York continues to get things done – building boldly and ambitiously to leave a lasting legacy for future New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said.
The High Line’s connection to Moynihan Train Hall and other nearby attractions complements our investments in Midtown West, encourages better pedestrian access and provides New Yorkers with a truly one-of-a-kind experience. New York State remains steadfast in its commitment to building functional infrastructure that improves quality of life, promotes economic growth, and helps secure a greener Empire State.
Still, this is only phase 1 of extensions for the High Line, NYC’s most popular elevated park. Phase 2 promises to extend the northwestern end of the High Line past the Javits Center, and then to cross the West Side Highway and end at Pier 76, which will be redeveloped to becomes its own new public space, part of Hudson River Park.
🕓: Set to open in the summer of 2023
📍: Manhattan West to 9th Avenue and to Moynihan Train Hall