The Brooklyn Bridge has been restored multiple times due to progressive degradation, notably in the 1950s, 1980s, and 2010. The Brooklyn Bridge is the southernmost of four toll-free vehicular bridges that connect Manhattan Island and Long Island to the north, with the Manhattan, Williamsburg, and Queensboro bridges. It is one of the most famous landmarks in New York City.
The Brooklyn Bridge was originally built 1836-1883. It was named after its main sponsor, Mayor William B. Bridgman. The first bridge was a wooden structure that was replaced by this one about 20 years later. The new bridge was designed by John A. Roebling's son, Washington Roebling. He had previously designed the Niagara Falls Bridge, which opened in 1848. The Brooklyn Bridge is an iron suspension bridge that connects Brooklyn with downtown Manhattan. It consists of 2,595 feet of roadway and 977 feet of walkway on both sides of the East River. The longest suspension bridge in New York, it is also the third longest suspension bridge in the world. The Brooklyn Bridge was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1962, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
As early as 1825, proposals were made to build a bridge across the East River to connect Brooklyn and Manhattan.
The Brooklyn Bridge is the southernmost of four toll-free vehicular bridges that connect Manhattan Island and Long Island to the north, with the Manhattan, Williamsburg, and Queensboro bridges. ...
| Brooklyn Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Designer | John Augustus Roebling |
| Constructed by | New York Bridge Company |
| Opened | May 24, 1883 |
| Statistics | |
The Brooklyn Bridge is a suspension/cable-stay hybrid bridge that links Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York City. It is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States (built in 1883) and one of the world's earliest steel-wire suspension bridges. John Augustus Roebling designed the Brooklyn Bridge. His son, Washington Roebling, supervised its construction.
Other famous bridges include the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and its counterpart, the Leonard Davis Memorial Bridge, in Philadelphia. The World War II-era Trento and Trieste Bridges across the Adriatic Sea are also notable examples of this type of bridge.
The Brooklyn Bridge was the first major cable-stayed bridge when it was built. It uses this type of bridge structure for its main span, which supports the roadway while the cables holding it up from the towers provide lateral support. The central portion of the main span is made of three sections, each with four large vertical piers connected by two horizontal beams. A fourth pier at the far end carries the walkway and railing around the base of the tower.
The bridge has nine traffic lanes plus two sidewalks on each side. It is widely known as "the bridge to nowhere" because there is no land connection between Brooklyn and Manhattan beyond the bridge itself. However, the term "bridge to somewhere" may also be used to describe other bridges such as the George Washington Bridge and Bayonne Bridge that serve similar purposes as the Brooklyn Bridge.
In New York City, the Manhattan Bridge spans the East River. The bridge is younger than the Brooklyn Bridge and the Williamsburg Bridge, the other two suspension bridges that cross the East River, and because of its proximity to the Brooklyn Bridge, it is frequently used as an alternate route. Drivers can expect slower travel times on the Manhattan Bridge than on the Brooklyn Bridge.
The Brooklyn Bridge was built between 1866 and 1883. It connects Brooklyn with downtown Manhattan. At the time of its opening, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Today, it remains the longest wooden suspension bridge in the United States. The bridge also holds the record for the highest number of people en-route at any one time: approximately 100,000 people! Although it no longer carries traffic, it continues to be used by pedestrians and cyclists. In fact, it's now considered a landmark for those doing outdoor activities such as walking and running.
Constructed out of up to $15 million ($150 million in today's dollars) in steel and wood, the Brooklyn Bridge was designed by John A. Roebling. Before it opened to traffic, several people died while working on the project due to their use of unsafe materials and techniques. This fact has been immortalized in a poem called "The Broklyn Bridge Song" written by Joseph Rodman Drake.
The Manhattan Bridge was built between 1931 and 1937. It connects Midtown Manhattan with the Bronx.
The Brooklyn Bridge towers magnificently over New York City's East River, connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn. Its granite towers and steel cables have provided a secure and picturesque crossing for millions of commuters and visitors, trains and bicycles, pushcarts and vehicles, since 1883. The bridge is also known for its artistic design, with memorials and sculptures by such famous artists as Daniel Chester French, Alexander Stirling Calder, and Gutzon Borglum (the father of Mt. Rushmore) located along its length.
When it was completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world. It remains one of the most popular attractions in New York City, drawing more than five million pedestrians and nearly one million vehicles each year.
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the defining features of New York City's landscape and economy. It has been called "the city's greatest work of architecture and engineering," and "the eighth wonder of the world."
In addition to being a vital link between the two cities, the bridge served as a gathering place for demonstrations and events that helped to define American culture: from the first Labor Day parade in 1882 to the last Vietnam War protests in 1971. It also played an important role in the development of transportation technology when it became the first bridge to use electrical power as a way to lift traffic off the ground during rush hour.
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