GW Bridge bike, pedestrian path opens on north side; south side closes for construction

Improvements were completed on the pedestrian and cyclist path on the north side of the George Washington Bridge and opened to the public this week.

The upgrades include widening the 1.5-mile path at certain chokepoints and approaches; redesigning corners at either end of the bridge so cyclists can navigate without dismounting; adding new lookout and rest areas on the path; and improved accessibility by replacing stairs with ramps.

The work took place as part of the $2 billion "Restore the George" program to replace the steel suspender cables on the north side of the bridge, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Last year, more than 710,000 people used the south path to cross the Hudson River by foot or bike.

The south path was scheduled to close Wednesday as work begins on replacement of the cables and improvements to the path on that side; all bicycle and foot traffic will be transferred to the north side. That work is expected to take about four years; once completed, pedestrians will use the south path and cyclists will use the north path.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: George Washington Bridge north cycling path opens, south closes