List of bridges and tunnels in New York City
The Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge on the East River in 1981
New York City is home to many bridges and tunnels. Several agencies manage this network of crossings. The New York City Department of Transportation owns and operates almost 800.[1] The Metropolitan Transportation Authority , Port Authority of New York and New Jersey , New York State Department of Transportation and Amtrak have many others.
Many of the city's major bridges and tunnels have broken or set records. Opened in 1927, the Holland Tunnel was the world's first mechanically ventilated underwater vehicular tunnel. The Brooklyn Bridge , Williamsburg Bridge , George Washington Bridge , and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge were the world's longest suspension bridges when opened in 1883,[2] 1903,[3] 1931,[4] and 1964[5] respectively. There are 789 bridges and tunnels in New York.
Bridges
New York City's crossings date back to 1693, when its first bridge, known as the King's Bridge, was constructed over Spuyten Duyvil Creek between Manhattan and the Bronx , located in the present-day Kingsbridge neighborhood. The bridge, composed of stone abutments and a timber deck, was demolished in 1917. The oldest crossing still standing is High Bridge , built 1848 to carry the Croton Aqueduct from Manhattan to the Bronx over the Harlem River .[6] This bridge was built to carry water to the city as part of the Croton Aqueduct system.
Ten bridges and one tunnel serving the city have been awarded some level of landmark status. The Holland Tunnel was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1993 in recognition of its pioneering role as the first mechanically ventilated vehicular underwater tunnel, operating since 1927. The George Washington , High , Hell Gate , Queensboro , Brooklyn , Manhattan , Macombs Dam , Carroll Street , University Heights , and Washington Bridges have all received landmark status, as well.[6]
New York features bridges of many lengths and types, carrying vehicular, bicycle, pedestrian, and subway traffic. The George Washington Bridge, spanning the Hudson River between New York City and Fort Lee, New Jersey , is the world's busiest bridge in terms of vehicular traffic.[7] [8] The George Washington, Verrazzano-Narrows , and Brooklyn Bridges are noted for their architecture, while others are more well known for their functional importance, such as the Williamsburg Bridge with 8 vehicular lanes, 2 subway tracks, a bike lane, and pedestrian walkways.
Bridges by body of water
East River
South Street Seaport , with the Brooklyn Bridge , Manhattan Bridge , and Williamsburg Bridge visible in the background
J train on the Williamsburg Bridge
From south to north:
Name
Opening year
Length
Carries
Comments
feet
meters
Brooklyn Bridge
1883
5,988
1,825
5 lanes of roadway (2 Manhattan-bound, 3 Brooklyn-bound)
Oldest suspension bridge in NYC. Also oldest suspension/cable-stayed hybrid bridge.
Manhattan Bridge
1909
6,854
2,089
7 lanes of roadway and trains
Double-decker bridge with 5 westbound lanes and 2 eastbound lanes. 3 of the westbound lanes and the subway are below the other 4 lanes.
Williamsburg Bridge
1903
7,308.0
2,227.48
8 lanes of roadway (4 in each direction) and trains
Queensboro Bridge
1909
3,724
1,135
9 lanes of NY 25 (Queens Boulevard)
Officially known as the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge. Also known as 59th Street Bridge. Reversible 4 lanes on the upper deck, and 2 westbound/3 eastbound lanes on the lower deck.
Roosevelt Island Bridge
1955
2,877.0
876.91
2 lanes of roadway (1 in each direction)
East channel only
Triborough Bridge (Suspension Bridge)
1936
2,790
850
8 lanes of I-278 (4 in each direction)
Officially known as the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
Hell Gate Bridge
1916
1,020
310
3 rail tracks (2 of Northeast Corridor , 1 of New York Connecting Railroad )
Rikers Island Bridge
1966
4,200.0
1,280.16
2 lanes of roadway
Only connects Rikers Island to Queens
Bronx–Whitestone Bridge
1939
3,770.0
1,149.10
6 lanes of I-678 (Whitestone Expressway)
Throgs Neck Bridge
1961
2,910.0
886.97
6 lanes of I-295 (Throgs Neck Expressway)
Harlem River
Wards Island Bridge in "open" position
From south to north, east to west:
Hudson River
George Washington Bridge
Name
Opening year
Length
Carries
Comments
feet
meters
George Washington Bridge
1931
4,760.0
1,450.85
14 lanes of I-95 / US 1 / US 9 / US 46
Double-deck, 8 lanes on upper level, 6 lanes on lower level. 7 lanes in each direction.
New York Bay
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge
Name
Opening year
Length
Carries
Comments
feet
meters
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge
1964
13,701
4,176
13 lanes of I-278
Double-deck, 7 lanes on upper level; 3 in each direction and 1 reversible HOV 3+ lane. 6 lanes on lower level; three in each direction.
Newtown Creek
Borden Avenue, Long Island City
Other
The Bronx
Brooklyn
Ninth Street Bridge, spanning Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn
Queens
Staten Island
Tunnels
The Queens–Midtown Tunnel
Each of the tunnels that run underneath the East and Hudson Rivers were marvels of engineering when first constructed. The Holland Tunnel is the oldest of the vehicular tunnels, opening to great fanfare in 1927 as the first mechanically ventilated underwater tunnel. The Queens Midtown Tunnel was opened in 1940 to relieve the congestion on the city's bridges. Each of its tubes were designed 1.5 feet (0.46 m) wider than the Holland Tunnel in order to accommodate the wider cars of the period. When the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel opened in 1950, it was the longest continuous underwater vehicular tunnel in North America, a title it still holds.[16] The Lincoln Tunnel has three tubes linking midtown Manhattan to New Jersey , a configuration that provides the flexibility to provide four lanes in one direction during rush hours, or three lanes in both direction.
All four underwater road tunnels were built by Ole Singstad : the Holland Tunnel's original chief engineer Clifford Milburn Holland died, as did his successor, Milton H. Freeman, after which Singstad became chief engineer, finishing the Holland Tunnel and then building the remaining tunnels.
East River
PATH train emerging from the Hudson tubes, into the Exchange Place station
Traveling through the Holland Tunnel , from Manhattan to Jersey City, New Jersey
From south to north:
Name
Opening year
Length
Carries
Comments
Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel
1950
2,779 m (9,117 ft)
4 lanes of I-478
Officially known as the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel
Joralemon Street Tunnel
1908
2,709 m (8,888 ft)
trains
Montague Street Tunnel
1920
2,136 m (7,009 ft)
trains
Clark Street Tunnel
1919
1,800 m (5,900 ft)
trains
Cranberry Street Tunnel
1933
trains
Rutgers Street Tunnel
1936
trains
14th Street Tunnel
1924
train
East River Tunnels
1910
1,204 m (3,949 ft)
part of the New York Tunnel Extension Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road (Northeast Corridor )
Queens–Midtown Tunnel
1940
1,955 m (6,414 ft)
4 lanes of I-495 (Long Island Expressway )
Steinway Tunnel
1915
trains
53rd Street Tunnel
1933
trains
60th Street Tunnel
1920
trains
63rd Street Tunnel
1989
960 m (3,140 ft)
Upper level: train Lower level: LIRR to Grand Central Madison
Ravenswood Tunnel
1892
Electricity, natural gas, steam, and number 6 fuel oil
First tunnel under the East River and Roosevelt Island , between Big Allis power plant in Astoria and Upper East Side [17] [18]
Harlem River
From south to north:
Hudson River
From south to north:
Name
Opening year
Length
Carries
Comments
Downtown Hudson Tubes
1909
1,720 m (5,650 ft)
Montgomery-Cortlandt TunnelsPort Authority Trans-Hudson
Holland Tunnel
1927
south tube: 2,551 m (8,371 ft) north tube: 2,608 m (8,558 ft)
4 lanes of I-78 (Canal Street); Route 139 (NJ side)
Uptown Hudson Tubes
1908
1,700 m (5,500 ft)
Hoboken-Morton TunnelsPort Authority Trans-Hudson
North River Tunnels
1910
1,900 m (6,100 ft)
part of New York Tunnel Extension Amtrak and New Jersey Transit (Northeast Corridor )
Lincoln Tunnel
north tube: 1945 center tube: 1937 south tube: 1957
south tube: 2,440 m (8,006 ft) center tube: 2,504 m (8,216 ft) north tube: 2,281 m (7,482 ft)
6 lanes of NY 495 (NY side); Route 495 (NJ side)
Newtown Creek
Bridges and tunnels spanning land only
Park Avenue Tunnel (33rd–40th Streets) , Park Avenue Viaduct , and Park Avenue Tunnel (45th–97th Streets) , Manhattan
Battery Park Underpass , Manhattan
Cobble Hill Tunnel , Brooklyn
First Avenue Tunnel from 42nd Street to 47th Street, Manhattan
Seeley Street Bridge over Prospect Avenue , Brooklyn
Trinity Place Bridge , Manhattan
Seneca Village Tunnel at 85th St., Central Park
Glade Arch bridge, between 77th and 78th Sts., Central Park
Subway tunnel, between 57th Street off 7th Avenue, 63rd Street, and Lexington Avenue, Central Park (F and Q)
Bridges and tunnels by use
This section needs to be updated . Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (February 2018 )
The relative average number of inbound vehicles between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. to Midtown and Lower Manhattan is:
Queensboro Bridge : 31,000
Lincoln Tunnel : 25,944
Brooklyn Bridge : 22,241
Williamsburg Bridge : 18,339
Queens-Midtown Tunnel : 17,968
Holland Tunnel : 16,257
Brooklyn Battery Tunnel : 14,496
Manhattan Bridge : 13,818
See also
References
^ "NYC DOT - Bridges" . www1.nyc.gov . Retrieved February 20, 2022 .
^ "NYC DOT - Brooklyn Bridge" . Retrieved February 24, 2012 .
^ "NYC DOT - Williamsburg Bridge" . Retrieved February 24, 2012 .
^ "History - George Washington Bridge - The Port Authority of NY & NJ" . Retrieved February 24, 2012 .
^ "Verrazano-Narrows Bridge" . Retrieved February 24, 2012 .
^ a b "NYC DOT - Frequently Asked Questions about Bridges" . Retrieved February 24, 2012 .
^ "Port Authority of New York and New Jersey - George Washington Bridge" . The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. Retrieved September 13, 2013 .
^ Bod Woodruff; Lana Zak & Stephanie Wash (November 20, 2012). "GW Bridge Painters: Dangerous Job on Top of the World's Busiest Bridge" . ABC News. Retrieved September 13, 2013 .
^ a b c d e f "Movable Bridges over Newtown Creek and its Tributaries" . New York City. Retrieved September 20, 2013 .
^ a b c d e New York City Dept. of Transportation. "Bridges over the Gowanus Canal" . New York City. Retrieved September 20, 2013 .
^ a b Berger, Joseph (May 13, 2013). "Antique Bridge Closed to Traffic While It's Open for Repairs" . New York Times . Retrieved July 1, 2018 .
^ "City Subway Extended" . The New York Times . October 7, 1933. p. 16. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved December 18, 2018 .
^ "Gowanus Expressway" . nycroads.com. Retrieved July 1, 2018 .
^ Porpora, Tracey (June 11, 2017). "Goethals Bridge now open in both directions" . SILive.com . Retrieved June 12, 2017 .
^ Grunlund, Maura (May 21, 2018). "First a.m. rush hour for new Goethals Bridge to New Jersey" . SILive.com . Retrieved May 21, 2018 .
^ "Hugh L. Carey Tunnel (formerly Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel)" . MTA Bridges & Tunnels . Retrieved December 2, 2015 .
^ Tunnel Under The East River
^ How the First East River Tunnel was built
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