In yesterday’s media round up post, we sort of gave the impression that the Bridge hasn’t gotten a great deal of press, which may be true as of late, but it has had a fair share of attention in the past. Several local outlets have dug into the issue, and we feel have cast a favorable light on the project.
Our November 18, 2013 public meeting was featured on WNYT, News Channel 13. Watch video here.
Check out this March 16 article about the Livingston Avenue Bridge and the movement to get a walkway added to the bridge should it be reconstructed. (Courtesy Daily Gazette)
May 21: Times Union Editorial Board opinion: Cycling is the way to go. Imagine a bridge across the Hudson River designed with cyclists in mind. A 21st-century bridge has to do more than accommodate trains… (Read more)
August 23: Metroland Weekly published an in-depth article about the Livingston Avenue Bridge and the advocacy effort underway to re-establish the walkway.
The Albany Times Union published a great opinion piece, supporting the re-establishment of the walkway on the new Livingston Avenue Bridge.
While we applaud the coverage we’re getting from the established media sources, there’s one media entity that’s really excelled in their coverage of the Livingston Avenue Bridge Walkway effort, All Over Albany. To say AoA has been there from the beginning might be an understatement, as they’ve had articles about the iconic bridge appear before the Walkway’s advocacy effort even formally kicked off.
Scott Hotaling is an artist, but he also describes himself as a part-time genealogist. The 30-year-old Selkirk native has spent hours visiting family members to make a detailed family record, which he uses to identify subjects in the paintings he creates using old family photographs. Scott’s impressive body of work… (read the rest) – The bridge was a subject of a few of Hotaling’s paintings.
The Livingston Avenue Bridge, the graceful and anachronistic swing bridge that carries trains across the Hudson River at Albany and still swings open to let larger ships reach Troy, has been part of the landscape longer than anyone now alive. It is often cited as dating to the Civil War….(read the rest) – In this engaging “history lesson” of the bridge the walkway isn’t even mentioned! Not on purpose mind you, it just wasn’t big on the radar screen at the time
September 18, 2011 A walkable Livingston Avenue BridgeIt’s a frustrating thing to watch bureaucracy get in the way of great vision. It can result in some pretty bad decisions, the kind that make you look back and say “woulda, coulda, shoulda…” when it’s too late to make changes. Which is what we may be saying soon about… (read the rest) – Now we’re on the radar! In full disclosure the article was written by yours truly, so “media coverage” may not be the right term, but you see I can credit AoA with one of a small few “big breaks” we got along the way.
From everything we’ve been seeing, it’s basically only a matter of time before the zombie apocalypse is upon us (it would explain a lot). And, if you’re anything like us, you’re totally unprepared. But fear not, fair citizens. We have drawn on the wisdom of your fellow Capital Region residents… (read the rest) – So what of this is tongue-in-cheek? Sebastian makes a great point about safety. You should be thinking about Z-day. Wouldn’t it be a trip if a letter, with a serious tone, was sent to NYSDOT that outlined the need to preserve the bridge in case of Z-day?
In holiday seasons past AOA has made lists of local gifts we thought people might like to get. This year, we’re going right to the source. Instead of making our list, we’ve asked a few people directly: What’s on your holiday wish list? Today’s list comes from Life After Programming’s…(read the rest) – Aww shucks. Ethan suggests donations to the bridge as a holiday gift idea. Perhaps someday we’ll have a need for fundraising, but until then, we’d appreciate some support letters to NYSDOT. Even if you want to tout zombie protection.
By now I’m sure you’ve heard about the tragic and untimely death of Warren Belcher on the Black Bridge in Cohoes on New Year’s Eve. I did not know Warren, but the TU piece about him really tugged on my heartstrings. If the article’s description of this charming guy’s relationship…(read the rest) – This article was a balanced, thoughtful response to the kneejerk response to a tragedy upon the Black Bridge. After a local man fell off the bridge which had been closed, a petition was circulated asking for the bridge’s removal. Thankfully, the bridge stayed, the reconstruction was completed, and now it’s open and wonderful. The LAB is cited and an additional opportunity.
Chuck Schumer was in town today to push for the inclusion of a pedestrian walkway on the Livingston Ave Bridge — regardless of what direction the project takes (rehab or total replacement). Said New York’s senior senator in a press release: “For decades, people could easily walk over the Livingston… (read the rest) – HOORAY!
The Livingston Avenue Bridge Coalition — a group working to make sure pedestrian and cycling access is included in the replacement for the Livingston Ave Bridge that spans the Hudson between Albany and Rensselaer — has a meeting at the Albany Public Library tonight (Monday) to “discuss opportunities presented” by… (read the rest) – By far the best event coverage we’ve gotten in which we weren’t self promoting. Was it the reason that the Governor Cuomo mentioned the bridge by name to the Vice President? You decide.
Vice President Joe Biden dropped into Albany today for an appearance at the state Capitol, to talk about rebuilding infrastructure after the storms that have hit the state in recent years, to literally and figuratively give Andrew Cuomo a pat on the back — and see a Cuomo powerpoint presentation…. (read the rest) – So it was only in passing, and it was the Governor talking about scouring. But he said “Livingston Avenue Bridge” to the Veep. And that’s cool. Joe Biden loves Amtrak. Heck, the NY Times called him “Amtrak Joe.” He’s practically our best buddy.
High speed rail in this country is one of those things that always seems to be happening just over the horizon. And for the Northeast — and the Capital Region specifically — this somewhere-out-there future holds all sorts of potential. Imagine what it would be like to hop a train… (read the rest) – AoA picked up on the bridge issue better than anyone else. Some media outlets dove in for controversy (Bakken Crude, High Speed or not, etc.) and perhaps we’re not controversial enough. Fine by us. But AoA came through again, because the walkway is a regional issue.
And that’s our media recap for today.