NEW YORK (AP) - New York City’s oldest standing bridge designed for pedestrians and bicyclists is reopening for the first time in 45 years.

The High Bridge was built in the mid-1800s. It spans the Harlem River, connecting Manhattan’s Washington Heights and the Bronx’s Highbridge neighborhoods.

Constructed as part of the Croton Aqueduct system, it became a popular promenade that attracted hotels, restaurants and amusement parks to the area.

By the mid-1960s that all began to wane with construction of the Major Deegan Expressway and the Harlem River Drive.

The bridge was closed in the 1970s. The $61.8 million restoration began in 2012. It’s officially reopening Tuesday.

Historic sites near the bridge include Bennett Park, Manhattan’s highest point. The Little Red Light House under the George Washington Bridge also is nearby.

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