Ride to the Water Source

Two New Yorkers will be taking cyclists for a bicycle tour to the Old Croton Aqueduct situated at Highbridge Park on May 9.

The old Croton Aqueduct that spans the East River from the Bronx to Manhattan on 173rd Street has recently been refurbished and turned into a pedestrian bridge.

Starting off from the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue and 42nd St., the ride will be guided by native New Yorker Matt Malina and urban educator Matheson Westlake. Cyclists are expected to bring their own bicycles and equipment, and helmets for safety.

Starting at 12 noon, the ride is expected to last a total of 3 hours, ending at Highbridge and 173rd Street in Washington Heights, Manhattan. The Croton Aqueduct became a water delivery system from the river of the same name situated 41 miles to the north to New York City homes in 1842. It was an well overdue improvement, because water from polluted wells had caused epidemics of Asiatic Cholera and Yellow Fever.

The city had also suffered from a string of big, destructive fires, including the Great Fire of 1835 in which 700 buildings burned down because there was no reliable water source to extinguish the fires. The aqueduct represented an engineering marvel never accomplished before, delivering 40 million gallons of clean, reliable drinking water daily to the city. The tour costs $42 through Eventbrite, but discounts are available for students and educators.