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Connector Between Randalls Island, Bronx Set To Open This Summer

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New York City is planning to open a new pedestrian and bike route from the Bronx to Randalls Island after years of delays.

The Randalls Island Connector is set to open by the end of the summer, WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported.

The $6 million project will link the Bronx to the island with a quarter-mile stretch running over a pedestrian bridge. The stretch currently sits behind a locked fence in an industrial section.

Connector Between Randalls Island, Bronx Set To Open This Summer

The Bronx lies closer to the island than any other borough, separated in some places by less than 50 feet across a waterway known as the Bronx Kill. But residents have a tough time getting to the island's playing fields, trails and nature areas.

The only direct route is by foot across the busy Robert F. Kennedy Bridge.

The connector was proposed in 2006, but construction didn't begin until 2013.

News of the route's opening came much to the delight of local residents.

"It's sorely needed to get the people from the Bronx side to get over there and use all the different things they have there," Jeanine Alfieri told Diamond.

Aimee Boden, president of the Randall's Island Park Alliance, is expecting in an influx of new visitors.

"So we've been prepping for it and are really looking forward to inviting new park constituents to Randalls Island," she said.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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