185-804: The Manhattan Bridge Three Cent Line was a streetcar company that operated cars over the Manhattan Bridge between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan in New York City. As the name implied, the fare was only 3 cents per ride. When the Manhattan Bridge was opened on December 31, 1909, it had tracks which were intended to be used by the subways of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT). There were no tracks on either side to connect them to, however. The MBTCL began to run streetcars in 1912, and until 1915
370-421: A "great open arch", making it possible to rebuild either the western or eastern halves of the bridge without affecting the structural integrity of the other half. The towers contain little decorative detail, except for spherical finials. Each suspension tower contains an iron and copper hood over the pedestrian or bike path on either side, as well as iron cornices just below the tops of the towers. Saddles carry
555-509: A block fall. Construction on the suspension towers started in mid-1872, and by the time work was halted for the winter in late 1872, parts of each tower had already been built. By mid-1873, there was substantial progress on the towers' construction. The Brooklyn side's tower had reached a height of 164 feet (50 m) above mean high water (MHW), while the tower on the Manhattan side had reached 88 feet (27 m) above MHW. The arches of
740-451: A bridge between the then-separate cities of Brooklyn and New York had been suggested as early as 1800. At the time, the only travel between the two cities was by a number of ferry lines . Engineers presented various designs, such as chain or link bridges, though these were never built because of the difficulties of constructing a high enough fixed-span bridge across the extremely busy East River. There were also proposals for tunnels under
925-530: A dangerous reverse curve . By then, 90,000 vehicles a day used the span. An air raid siren was also installed on the bridge during World War II. By the mid-1940s, the Brooklyn approach to the bridge was one of the most congested areas in New York City. The upper roadways were repaired during 1950. Similar repairs to the lower roadway were postponed until the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel opened, as
1110-461: A hybrid cable-stayed /suspension bridge design, with both vertical and diagonal suspender cables. Its stone towers are neo-Gothic , with characteristic pointed arches. The New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT), which maintains the bridge, says that its original paint scheme was "Brooklyn Bridge Tan" and "Silver", but other accounts state that it was originally entirely " Rawlins Red ". To provide sufficient clearance for shipping in
1295-640: A lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against the cities of New York and Brooklyn. In 1879, an Assembly Sub-Committee on Commerce and Navigation began an investigation into the Brooklyn Bridge. A seaman who had been hired to determine the height of the span, testified to the committee about the difficulties that ship masters would experience in bringing their ships under
1480-451: A lower level, as well as four subway tracks, two each flanking the lower-level roadway. The span is carried by four main cables, which travel between masonry anchorages at either side of the bridge, and 1,400 vertical suspender cables. Carrère and Hastings designed ornamental plazas at both ends of the bridge, including an arch and colonnade in Manhattan that is a New York City designated landmark . The bridge's use of light trusses influenced
1665-486: A parking lot by the New York City Police Department , while the only remaining portion of the large park surrounding the arch and colonnade, at Canal and Forsyth Streets, had accumulated trees. The arch and colonnade themselves had open joints in the stonework, as well as weeds, bushes, and small trees growing at their top. The arch and colonnade were restored starting in the late 1990s, with
1850-609: A populist policy initiative headed by New York City mayor William Jay Gaynor . Streetcars began running across the bridge in September 1912, and the bridge's subway tracks opened in June 1915. By the mid-1910s, a food market operated under the bridge. Meanwhile, C. J. Sullivan sued the Ryan-Parker Construction Company, claiming that he had helped the company secure the general contract for the bridge. He
2035-527: A roadway; he estimated that it would cost $ 9 million to construct a brand-new roadway, while converting the trolley tracks would cost only $ 600,000. The comptroller approved the plan in September 1928, and the city formally voted to buy the Three Cent Line for just over $ 200,000 the following month. The Three Cent Line was discontinued in November 1929. The Three Cent Line tracks were replaced by
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#17327933313622220-451: A series of 24- watt LED lighting fixtures, referred to as "necklace lights" due to their shape. In addition, either 1,088, 1,096, or 1,520 galvanized steel wire suspender cables hang downward from the main cables. Another 400 cable stays extend diagonally from the towers. The vertical suspender cables and diagonal cable stays hold up the truss structure around the bridge deck. The bridge's suspenders originally used wire rope, which
2405-538: A series of brick slopes or "banks" was developed into a skate park , the Brooklyn Banks , in the late 1980s. The park uses the approach's support pillars as obstacles. In the mid-2010s, the Brooklyn Banks were closed to the public because the area was being used as a storage site during the bridge's renovation. The skateboarding community has attempted to save the banks on multiple occasions; after
2590-482: A shrine to the Virgin Mary next to an opening at the entrance. The vaults were closed for public use in the late 1910s and 1920s during World War I and Prohibition but were reopened thereafter. When New York magazine visited one of the cellars in 1978, it discovered a "fading inscription" on a wall reading: "Who loveth not wine, women and song, he remaineth a fool his whole life long." Leaks found within
2775-426: A steel contract for the permanent cables still had not been awarded. There was disagreement over whether the bridge's cables should use the as-yet-untested Bessemer steel or the well-proven crucible steel . Until a permanent contract was awarded, the builders ordered 30 short tons (27 long tons) of wire in the interim, 10 tons each from three companies, including Washington Roebling's own steel mill in Brooklyn. In
2960-464: A structure containing trusses that run parallel to the roadway, each of which is 33 feet (10 m) deep. Originally there were six trusses, but two were removed during a late-1940s renovation. The trusses allow the Brooklyn Bridge to hold a total load of 18,700 short tons (16,700 long tons), a design consideration from when it originally carried heavier elevated trains. These trusses are held up by suspender ropes, which hang downward from each of
3145-408: A suspension bridge with carbon steel wire cables and a suspended stiffening truss, supported by a pair of towers with eight braced legs. This design would have consisted of a main span of 1,470 feet (450 m) and approaches of 725 feet (221 m) each. In early 1901, the city government approved a motion to acquire land for a suspension tower in Brooklyn; the city shortly began soliciting bids for
3330-524: A thickness of 2.5 feet (0.76 m) and weigh 46,000 pounds (21,000 kg) each. Each anchor plate is connected to the respective main cable by two sets of nine eyebars , each of which is about 12.5 feet (3.8 m) long and up to 9 by 3 inches (229 by 76 mm) thick. The chains of eyebars curve downward from the cables toward the anchor plates, and the eyebars vary in size depending on their position. The anchorages also contain numerous passageways and compartments. Starting in 1876, in order to fund
3515-566: A three track loop at Bowery and Bayard Street in what is today part of Chinatown . The two track terminal at Fulton Street was shared with the Third Avenue Railway System cars that used the north tracks of the bridge. When the bridge first opened, the streetcars used what are now the subway tracks. When the BMT subway was ready to use the bridge, the streetcar tracks were relocated to the upper level, where auto roadways are over
3700-445: A train had passed. The floor beams under the lower level are 37 inches (940 mm) thick. The Manhattan Bridge was the first suspension bridge to employ Josef Melan 's deflection theory for deck stiffening. The theory posited that the weight of a suspension bridge's deck, and the downward forces created by vehicles on the bridge, provided stability to the bridge's deck; thus, such a bridge could use lighter trusses. As such,
3885-497: A week after the Brooklyn Bridge opened, ferry crews reported a sharp drop in patronage, while the bridge's toll operators were processing over a hundred people a minute. However, cross-river ferries continued to operate until 1942. The bridge had cost US$ 15.5 million in 1883 dollars (about US$ 490,500,000 in 2023 ) to build, of which Brooklyn paid two-thirds. The bonds to fund the construction would not be paid off until 1956. An estimated 27 men died during its construction. Since
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#17327933313624070-619: Is a hybrid cable-stayed / suspension bridge in New York City , spanning the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn . Opened on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first fixed crossing of the East River. It was also the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time of its opening, with a main span of 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m) and a deck 127 ft (38.7 m) above mean high water . The span
4255-478: Is about 6,855 feet (2,089 m) long. The bridge reaches a maximum height of 134 ft (40.8 m) above mean high water at the middle of the river. The main span between the two suspension towers is 1,470 feet (450 m) long. The side spans, between the anchorages and the suspension towers on either side, are 725 feet (221 m) long. When the bridge was built, the Manhattan approach and plaza were quoted as being 2,510 feet (770 m) long, while
4440-585: Is just slightly farther west, while the Queensboro and Williamsburg bridges are to the north. The bridge was proposed in 1898 and was originally called "Bridge No. 3" before being renamed the Manhattan Bridge in 1902. Foundations for the bridge's suspension towers were completed in 1904, followed by the anchorages in 1907 and the towers in 1908. The Manhattan Bridge opened to traffic on December 31, 1909, and began carrying streetcars in 1912 and New York City Subway trains in 1915. The eastern upper-deck roadway
4625-418: Is slightly larger, measuring 172 by 102 feet (52 by 31 m) and located 78.5 feet (23.9 m) below high water, while the Brooklyn side's caisson measures 168 by 102 feet (51 by 31 m) and is located 44.5 feet (13.6 m) below high water. The caissons were designed to hold at least the weight of the towers which would exert a pressure of 5 short tons per square foot (49 t/m ) when fully built, but
4810-400: Is the result of the study, of the experience, and of the knowledge of many men in many ages. It is not merely a creation; it is a growth. It stands before us today as the sum and epitome of human knowledge; as the very heir of the ages; as the latest glory of centuries of patient observation, profound study and accumulated skill, gained, step by step, in the never-ending struggle of man to subdue
4995-615: The Clark Quarry in Essex County, New York . The granite blocks were quarried and shaped on Vinalhaven Island, Maine , under a contract with the Bodwell Granite Company, and delivered from Maine to New York by schooner. The Manhattan tower contains 46,945 cubic yards (35,892 m ) of masonry, while the Brooklyn tower has 38,214 cubic yards (29,217 m ) of masonry. There are 56 LED lamps mounted onto
5180-553: The East River in New York City , connecting Lower Manhattan at Canal Street with Downtown Brooklyn at the Flatbush Avenue Extension . Designed by Leon Moisseiff and built by the Phoenix Bridge Company , the bridge has a total length of 6,855 ft (2,089 m). It is one of four toll-free vehicular bridges connecting Manhattan Island to Long Island ; the nearby Brooklyn Bridge
5365-430: The New York City Police Department banned horse-drawn vehicles from crossing the bridge toward Brooklyn during the morning rush hour and toward Manhattan during the evening rush hour. One of the two streetcar lines across the bridge was discontinued in 1919. During late 1920, the bridge's roadway was used as a reversible lane between 7 am and 7 pm each day; this restriction caused heavy congestion. Grover Whalen ,
5550-707: The Phoenix Bridge Company in September 1906 to fabricate the steelwork. The Phoenix Bridge Company's 2,000 workers began making beams, girders, eyebars, and other parts of the bridge at the firm's factory in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania . The anchorages were less than half complete, in part because of inclement weather and material shortages. That November, the Board of Estimate and Apportionment approved $ 4 million for land acquisition in Manhattan and $ 300,000 for land acquisition in Brooklyn. By early 1907,
5735-431: The Brooklyn Bridge has become an icon of New York City. Over the years, the bridge has been used as the location of various stunts and performances, as well as several crimes, attacks and vandalism. The Brooklyn Bridge is designated a National Historic Landmark , a New York City landmark , and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark . The Brooklyn Bridge, an early example of a steel-wire suspension bridge , uses
Manhattan Bridge Three Cent Line - Misplaced Pages Continue
5920-549: The Brooklyn Bridge was also being rebuilt around the same time. To ease congestion, the Manhattan Bridge's western upper roadway began carrying Manhattan-bound traffic during the morning in March 1950. Floodlights and barbed-wire fences were installed at the bases of the bridge's anchorages in 1951, during the Cold War , and the anchorages themselves were sealed to protect against sabotage. Manhattan-bound traffic stopped using
6105-458: The Brooklyn Bridge was considered mostly completed and was projected to open that June. Contracts for bridge lighting were awarded by February 1883, and a toll scheme was approved that March. There was substantial opposition to the bridge's construction from shipbuilders and merchants located to the north, who argued that the bridge would not provide sufficient clearance underneath for ships. In May 1876, these groups, led by Abraham Miller, filed
6290-459: The Brooklyn Bridge's truss system to be six to eight times as strong as he thought it needed to be. As such, the open truss structure supporting the deck is, by its nature, subject to fewer aerodynamic problems. However, due to a supplier's fraudulent substitution of inferior-quality wire in the initial construction, the bridge was reappraised at the time as being only four times as strong as necessary. The main span and side spans are supported by
6475-431: The Brooklyn approach and plaza were quoted as measuring 2,370 feet (720 m) long. The bridge's dead load is 25,000 pounds per square foot (120,000 kg/m ), and its live load is 16,000 pounds per square foot (78,000 kg/m ). The bridge was designed by Leon Moisseiff . The plans for Manhattan Bridge are sometimes mistakenly attributed to Gustav Lindenthal , who was the city's bridge commissioner before he
6660-473: The Brooklyn approach in 2018, Skanska was given a contract to repair parts of the bridge at a cost of $ 75.9 million. The renovation was scheduled to finish in early 2021. The work entailed replacing some fencing, installing some new steel beams on the spans, and refurbishing ornamental elements on the towers. For instance, the spherical finials atop the suspension towers were replaced with cast-iron copies. The bridge, including approaches but excluding plazas,
6845-533: The Brooklyn approach were found to be cracked or corroded, these columns were repaired in late 1989. By the end of 1990, engineers found that the bridge's support beams had thousands of cracks. Service on the south tracks resumed in December 1990, despite warnings the structure was unsafe; they had to be closed again after the discovery of corroded support beams and missing steel plates. The north-side tracks also had to be closed periodically to repair cracks. In
7030-414: The Brooklyn side is shorter than the 1,567-foot (478 m) approach ramp from the Manhattan side. The approaches are supported by Renaissance-style arches made of masonry; the arch openings themselves were filled with brick walls, with small windows within. The approach ramp contains nine arch or iron- girder bridges across side streets in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Underneath the Manhattan approach,
7215-538: The Brooklyn tower were completed by August 1874. The tower was substantially finished by December 1874 with the erection of saddle plates for the main cables at the top of the tower. However, the ornamentation on the Brooklyn tower could not be completed until the Manhattan tower was finished. The last stone on the Brooklyn tower was raised in June 1875 and the Manhattan tower was completed in July 1876. The saddle plates atop both towers were also raised in July 1876. The work
7400-514: The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. After the eastern upper roadway reopened in November 1961, the western upper roadway was closed, and the eastern upper roadway was temporarily used as a reversible lane. Work proceeded several months ahead of schedule. In conjunction with the upgrades to the upper roadways, in June 1961, New York City parks commissioner Robert Moses proposed demolishing the plazas on both sides and connecting
7585-458: The East River for the occasion. Officially, Emily Warren Roebling was the first to cross the bridge. The bridge opening was also attended by U.S. president Chester A. Arthur and New York mayor Franklin Edson , who crossed the bridge and shook hands with Brooklyn mayor Seth Low at the Brooklyn end. Abram Hewitt gave the principal address. It is not the work of any one man or of any one age. It
Manhattan Bridge Three Cent Line - Misplaced Pages Continue
7770-630: The East River, but these were considered prohibitively expensive. German immigrant engineer John Augustus Roebling proposed building a suspension bridge over the East River in 1857. He had previously designed and constructed shorter suspension bridges, such as Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania , and the Niagara Suspension Bridge. In 1867, Roebling erected what became the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge over
7955-431: The East River, causing an explosion that scorched the bridge. The city announced in 1959 that it would rebuild the upper roadways to accommodate trucks. The Karl Koch Engineering Company received a contract to rebuild the upper roadways; the project was planned to cost $ 6.377 million. The eastern upper roadway was closed for repairs in September 1960; the project also included fixing the lower deck and building ramps from
8140-408: The East River, the Brooklyn Bridge incorporates long approach viaducts on either end to raise it from low ground on both shores. Including approaches, the Brooklyn Bridge is a total of 6,016 feet (1,834 m) long when measured between the curbs at Park Row in Manhattan and Sands Street in Brooklyn. A separate measurement of 5,989 feet (1,825 m) is sometimes given; this is the distance from
8325-475: The East River. One engineer estimated in 1988 that the bridge would cost $ 162.6 million to repair. The state government started inspecting the Manhattan Bridge and five others in 1978. The same year, the United States Congress voted to allocate money to repair the bridge, as well as several others in New York City. After the presidential administration of Ronald Reagan questioned whether
8510-623: The East River. Following gradual deterioration, the Brooklyn Bridge was renovated several times, including in the 1950s, 1980s, and 2010s. The Brooklyn Bridge is the southernmost of the four toll-free vehicular bridges connecting Manhattan Island and Long Island , with the Manhattan Bridge , the Williamsburg Bridge , and the Queensboro Bridge to the north. Only passenger vehicles and pedestrian and bicycle traffic are permitted. A major tourist attraction since its opening,
8695-729: The Glyndon Contracting Company was hired to lay the wires. Around 8,500 short tons (7,600 long tons; 7,700 t) of nickel steel wires were manufactured at the Carbon Steel Works in Pittsburgh . Workers began stringing temporary cables on June 15, 1908; the first wire broke loose while it was being strung, injuring two people. By this time, the construction cost had increased to $ 22 million. The temporary cables supported temporary footbridges between each tower, which were completed in mid-July. When
8880-460: The Manhattan Bridge was the first suspension bridge in the world to use a lightly-webbed weight-saving Warren truss . There are four stiffening trusses, two each flanking the tracks on the north and south sides of the bridge; these trusses measure 24 feet (7.3 m) or 26 feet (7.9 m) deep. Each of the trusses is directly beneath one of the main cables. The centerlines of the inner trusses are 40 feet (12 m) apart from each other, while
9065-551: The Manhattan Bridge's footpaths were initially closed to the public, the northern footpath opened in July 1910; the southern footpath was scheduled to be opened the next month. Shortly after the Manhattan Bridge opened, the city government conducted a study and found that it had no authority to charge tolls on the Manhattan and Queensboro bridges. Tolls on the Manhattan Bridge, as well as the Queensboro, Williamsburg , and Brooklyn bridges, were abolished in July 1911 as part of
9250-516: The Manhattan Bridge, and there would be large balconies and enormous spaces within the towers' anchorages. Work on the Manhattan caisson had commenced in January 1903; it was towed to position in July, and the caisson work was completed by January 1904. The foundations were completed in March 1904. A $ 10 million grant for the bridge's construction was granted in May 1904 with the expectation that work on
9435-424: The Manhattan caisson reached a depth of 78.5 feet (23.9 m) with an air pressure of 35 pounds per square inch (240 kPa ), Washington deemed the sandy subsoil overlying the bedrock 30 feet (9.1 m) beneath to be sufficiently firm, and subsequently infilled the caisson with concrete in July 1872. Washington Roebling himself suffered a paralyzing injury as a result of caisson disease shortly after ground
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#17327933313629620-469: The Manhattan end of the bridge became one of the city's largest homeless encampments before it was razed in 1993. The western upper roadway was closed for reconstruction that year. As part of an experiment, researchers from Mount Sinai Hospital monitored lead levels in Manhattan Bridge workers' blood while the reconstruction took place. The bridge repairs were repeatedly delayed as the renovation process uncovered more serious structural problems underlying
9805-441: The Manhattan plaza by that November. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported that there was widespread discontent over the fact that streetcar and subway service would not be ready for the bridge's opening. Stevenson announced at the end of November 1909 that the bridge's roadways would likely open by December 24, although the transit lines and pedestrian walkways were not complete. One hundred prominent Brooklyn citizens walked over
9990-457: The Manhattan side was slightly different because it had to be installed at a greater depth. To protect against the increased air pressure at that depth, the Manhattan caisson had 22 layers of timber on its roof, seven more than its Brooklyn counterpart had. The Manhattan caisson also had fifty 4-inch-diameter (10 cm) pipes for sand removal, a fireproof iron-boilerplate interior, and different airlocks and communication systems. Proposals for
10175-608: The Ohio River between Cincinnati, Ohio , and Covington, Kentucky . In February 1867, the New York State Senate passed a bill that allowed the construction of a suspension bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Two months later, the New York and Brooklyn Bridge Company was incorporated with a board of directors (later converted to a board of trustees). There were twenty trustees in total: eight each appointed by
10360-535: The aftermath of the dispute, two city officials were fired, and the New York City Council 's Transportation committee held inquiries on the reopening of the south tracks and the safety of all New York City bridges. They found that the NYCDOT and MTA's lack of cooperation contributed significantly to the deteriorating conditions. There were also allegations that the NYCDOT's transportation commissioner
10545-461: The anchorages in December 1904. The Williams Engineering Company received the $ 2 million contract for the anchorages' construction. Construction commenced on the Brooklyn anchorage in February 1905 and on the Manhattan anchorage that April. The foundation subcontractors excavated the foundations of each anchorage using sheet pilings . Barges were used to transport material from the East River to
10730-406: The anchorages' sites. Mixers constructed the masonry for the anchorages at a rate of up to 550 cubic yards (420 m ) per day. During mid-1905, officials condemned land in Manhattan and Brooklyn for the bridge's approaches; the land acquisition was partially delayed because the contractors rented out houses that were supposed to be demolished. By the end of the year, the city's bridge department
10915-430: The anchorages. At the Brooklyn end of the south pathway, a staircase leads to the intersection of Jay and High streets. Because the subway trains are on the outer edges of the deck, this causes torsional stresses every time a train crossed the bridge. As built, the bridge sagged by as much as 3 feet (0.91 m) when a train crossed it, and it took about 30 seconds for the deck to return to its normal position after
11100-556: The approaches at both ends of the bridge; the work included a widening of an approach road at the bridge's Manhattan end. The pylons flanking the Brooklyn approach were moved to the Brooklyn Museum in 1963. The western upper roadway was closed for repairs for a year beginning in August 1969. Two of the lower roadway's lanes were closed for four months starting in November 1970 so workers could replace faulty joints . In 1970,
11285-496: The approaches in October 1907; this required the relocation of several hundred families in Brooklyn and nearly 1,000 families in Manhattan. In total, about 145 lots in Brooklyn and 173 lots in Manhattan were obtained for the bridge's approaches and plazas. Some Brooklyn residents requested additional time to relocate. Residents in the path of the Manhattan approach also protested efforts to evict them, though they were relocated at
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#173279333136211470-452: The base and 117 by 104 feet (36 by 32 m) at the top. Each anchorage weighs 60,000 short tons (54,000 long tons; 54,000 t). The Manhattan anchorage rests on a foundation of bedrock while the Brooklyn anchorage rests on clay. The anchorages both have four anchor plates , one for each of the main cables, which are located near ground level and parallel to the ground. The anchor plates measure 16 by 17.5 feet (4.9 by 5.3 m), with
11655-495: The beginning of 1909, the bridge was planned to open at the end of the year, but the subway tracks, streetcar tracks, and Flatbush Avenue Extension were not complete. Around 60 million pounds (27,000 long tons; 27,000 t) of red steel girders and floor panels for the bridge's deck had been delivered to a yard in Bayonne, New Jersey . The girders and panels were delivered to the bridge's site starting in February 1909, and
11840-405: The beginning of December 1907. Later that month, four companies submitted bids for the construction of the bridge's Manhattan and Brooklyn approach spans. John C. Rodgers submitted a low bid of $ 2.17 million for the viaducts, and Stevenson requested that amount from the Board of Estimate. By the beginning of 1908, most of the land had been cleared, and the suspension towers had been built to above
12025-408: The bottom of the abutments longitudinally. The same span dimensions from Buck's plan were used because work on the masonry pier foundations had already begun. Additionally, the towers would have contained Modern French detail, while the anchorages would have been used for functions such as meeting halls. Lindenthal's plan was also rejected due to a dispute over whether his plan, which used eyebars ,
12210-408: The bridge carried nearly 79,000 cars, 18,000 trucks, and 200 buses on an average day. The city's public works commissioner, Frederick H. Zurmuhlen , requested in early 1952 that the Board of Estimate hire David B. Steinman to thoroughly examine the Manhattan Bridge, saying its maintenance costs were disproportionately higher than those of the other East River bridges. A beam on the eastern side of
12395-464: The bridge cracked in April 1953 and was fixed within a month. Following the cracked-beam incident, Zurmuhlen asked the city to allocate $ 2.69 million to repair the bridge, as trains disproportionately used one side of the bridge, causing it to tilt. Two proposals were put forth for the bridge's subway tracks; one plan called for them to be moved to the center of the deck, while another plan called for
12580-401: The bridge on December 4, 1909; at the time, the subway tracks were unfinished, and there was uncertainty over which company would use the streetcar tracks. Outgoing mayor George B. McClellan Jr. toured the bridge on December 24. The span officially opened on December 31, 1909, at a final cost of $ 26 million, although work was still incomplete. Initially, motorists had to pay a ten-cent toll,
12765-566: The bridge to new expressways. The bridge would have linked the Lower Manhattan Expressway with the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, though the former was never built. The city's art commission delayed the demolition of the plazas before ruling that the pylons in the Brooklyn plaza be relocated to the Brooklyn Museum or another suitable location. Wagner said in late 1962 that he would request $ 2.9 million to rebuild
12950-414: The bridge when it was completed. Another witness, Edward Wellman Serrell , a civil engineer, said that the calculations of the bridge's assumed strength were incorrect. The Supreme Court decided in 1883 that the Brooklyn Bridge was a lawful structure. The New York and Brooklyn Bridge was opened for use on May 24, 1883. Thousands of people attended the opening ceremony, and many ships were present in
13135-447: The bridge would start later that year. The Municipal Art Commission raised objections to one of the bridge's plans in June 1904, which delayed the start of construction. Another set of plans was unveiled that month by New York City Bridge Commissioner Gustav Lindenthal , in conjunction with Henry Hornbostel . The proposal also called for each of the suspension towers to be made of four columns, to be braced transversely and hinged to
13320-401: The bridge's maintenance, the New York City government made the large vaults under the bridge's Manhattan anchorage available for rent, and they were in constant use during the early 20th century. The vaults were used to store wine, as they were kept at a consistent 60 °F (16 °C) temperature due to a lack of air circulation. The Manhattan vault was called the "Blue Grotto" because of
13505-405: The bridge. The original plans had been to complete the renovations by 1995 for $ 150 million, but by 1996, the renovation was slated to be complete in 2003 at a cost of $ 452 million. The western upper roadway did not reopen until 1996. By 2001, it was estimated that the renovations had cost $ 500 million to date, including $ 260 million for the west side and another $ 175 million for the east side. At
13690-530: The cables. For unknown reasons, the tracks were never moved. Plans for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in Brooklyn, which was constructed in the 1950s, included ramps to the Manhattan Bridge. Lane control lights were installed above the bridge's reversible lower-level lanes in early 1958, and fixed red and green lights were installed on the upper-level roadways. The same year, the city spent $ 50,000 on repairs after two boats collided on
13875-477: The caissons were over-engineered for safety. During an accident on the Brooklyn side, when air pressure was lost and the partially-built towers dropped full-force down, the caisson sustained an estimated pressure of 23 short tons per square foot (220 t/m ) with only minor damage. Most of the timber used in the bridge's construction, including in the caissons, came from mills at Gascoigne Bluff on St. Simons Island, Georgia . The Brooklyn side's caisson, which
14060-422: The centerline of each of the outer trusses is spaced 28 feet (8.5 m) from the centerlines of the inner trusses. The bottom of each truss is connected to the steel beams under the lower level, while the top of each truss supports the upper-level roadways. The trusses distribute the bridge's weight between each vertical suspender cable. The Manhattan Bridge's suspension towers measure 330 feet (100 m) from
14245-470: The cities of New York (now Manhattan) and Brooklyn to subscribe to $ 5 million in capital stock , which would fund the bridge's construction. Roebling was subsequently named the chief engineer of the work and, by September 1867, had presented a master plan. According to the plan, the bridge would be longer and taller than any suspension bridge previously built. It would incorporate roadways and elevated rail tracks, whose tolls and fares would provide
14430-412: The city destroyed the smaller banks in the 2000s, the city government agreed to keep the larger banks for skateboarding. When the NYCDOT removed the bricks from the banks in 2020, skateboarders started an online petition . In the 2020s, local resident Rosa Chang advocated for the 9-acre (3.6 ha) space under the Manhattan approach to be converted into a recreational area known as Gotham Park. Some of
14615-454: The city government also contemplated installing support towers under the side spans. The bridge's condition was blamed on the imbalance in the number of trains crossing the bridge, as well as deferred maintenance during the New York City fiscal crisis of the 1970s. In 1979, the New York state government took over control of the Manhattan Bridge and the three other toll-free bridges across
14800-402: The city government started constructing the eastern upper-deck roadway at a cost of $ 300,000. The roadway opened that June. The next month, Whalen banned horse-drawn vehicles from the Manhattan Bridge and motor vehicles from the Brooklyn Bridge. The upper roadway of the Manhattan Bridge was converted to a reversible lane, while the lower roadway carried two-way traffic at all times. Whalen said
14985-480: The city had hired a contractor to repair the Manhattan Bridge's cable bands and hangers for $ 2.2 million. Before these repairs could begin, engineers surveyed the bridge. When work on the cables began in June, access to the western upper roadway was severely reduced. That September, the eastern upper roadway was closed for repairs; the western upper roadway was used by Manhattan-bound traffic during weekday mornings and carried two-way traffic at other times. The bridge
15170-426: The city had spent over $ 6 million on the bridge; the bridge's total cost was estimated at $ 20 million. To speed up the bridge's completion, Manhattan borough president Bird Sim Coler considered implementing night shifts . By February 1907, the Phoenix Bridge Company was manufacturing steel faster than it could be installed, and the steel for the anchorages was done. The company had also begun fabricating beams for
15355-492: The city to meet the Clean Air Act. Abraham Beame , who became mayor in 1974, refused to implement the tolls, and the United States Congress subsequently moved to forbid tolls on the free East River bridges. The United States Department of Transportation determined that the eastern upper roadway of the Manhattan Bridge was partially built with federal funds and, under federal law, could not be tolled. The weight of
15540-399: The commissioner of Plant and Structures, announced that September that he would request funding to repaint the bridge. The span was repainted during the next year at a cost of $ 240,000. Meanwhile, the bridge was carrying 27,000 daily vehicles by the early 1920s, and one traffic judge said the lower deck was too narrow to accommodate the increasing traffic levels on the bridge. In March 1922,
15725-407: The completion of the roadway, subway tracks, and other design details. The trusses and side spans were built after the floor of the main span was completed. Carbon Steel began wrapping the main cables together in May 1909; the wrapping process required 140 short tons (120 long tons; 130 t) of wire, and the company was able to wrap five to seven segments of cables per day. All work on the cables
15910-578: The congressional funding should cover the subway tracks' restoration, the U.S. government agreed in 1981 to fund restoration both of the roadways and of the subway tracks. By the early 1980s, the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) planned to spend $ 100 million on bridge repairs. The New York City government allocated $ 10.1 million for preliminary work on the bridge in March 1982, and minor repair work started that year. Workers planned to install brackets and supports under
16095-417: The construction of an entirely new tunnel for subway trains. The administration of mayor Robert F. Wagner tentatively approved a $ 30 million renovation of the bridge in July 1954, and a committee of engineers was hired to review alternate proposals for the bridge. Zurmuhlen said the bridge's safety would be compromised within the next decade if subway trains continued to use the bridge. By February 1955,
16280-468: The contract in August 1905 after submitting a low bid of $ 7.248 million, and a competing bidder sued to prevent the contract from being awarded to Pennsylvania Steel. In November, a New York Supreme Court judge ruled that the contract with Pennsylvania Steel was illegal, as the bidding process had been designed to shut out other bidders. Although Best tried to appeal the Supreme Court's decision,
16465-451: The contract was re-advertised anyway; Pennsylvania Steel refused to submit another bid. When Stevenson became the bridge commissioner at the beginning of 1906, he ordered that new bridge specifications be created. Stevenson received bids for the steelwork in May 1906, and the Ryan-Parker Construction Company received the contract the next month, following delays caused by an injunction and threats of lawsuits. The Ryan-Parker Company hired
16650-438: The cracks on the lower level, in December 1987, inspectors shut one lane of the lower level and banned buses and trucks from the two remaining lower-level lanes. The city government agreed to pay $ 750,000 to fix the cracks. In 1988, the NYCDOT published a list of 17 structurally deficient bridges in the city, including the Manhattan Bridge. That year, inspectors identified 73 "flags" or potentially serious defects, compared to
16835-411: The curb at Centre Street in Manhattan. The main span between the two suspension towers is 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m) long and 85 feet (26 m) wide. The bridge "elongates and contracts between the extremes of temperature from 14 to 16 inches". Navigational clearance is 127 ft (38.7 m) above mean high water (MHW). A 1909 Engineering Magazine article said that, at the center of
17020-451: The deck, and they drilled small holes into the lower-level floor beams unsuccessful attempt to prevent the beams from cracking further. An overhaul of the bridge began in April 1985, and the city received $ 60 million in federal funds for the renovations of the Queensboro, Manhattan, and Brooklyn bridges the same year. The north tracks were closed that August, reopening that November after an $ 8.1 million repair. The eastern upper roadway
17205-404: The deck, one each flanking the north and south roadways. The columns measure 5 feet (1.5 m) wide, as measured transversely. The length of each column, as measured laterally, tapers from 32 feet (9.8 m) at the pedestal to 10 feet (3.0 m) at the top. The columns are braced by diagonal steel beams. A publication from 1904 wrote that the central parts of each tower were designed like
17390-406: The delay in steel deliveries. Despite Edgemoor's assurances that the contract would be fulfilled, the deliveries still had not been completed by November 1881. Brooklyn mayor Seth Low , who became part of the board of trustees in 1882, became the chairman of a committee tasked to investigate Edgemoor's failure to fulfill the contract. When questioned, Edgemoor's president stated that the delays were
17575-609: The design of other long suspension bridges in the early 20th century. The bridge was the last of the three suspension spans built across the lower East River, following the Brooklyn and Williamsburg bridges. After the City of Greater New York was formed in 1898, the administration of mayor Robert Anderson Van Wyck formed a plan for what became the Manhattan Bridge; these plans were repeatedly revised and were not finalized until after George B. McClellan Jr. became mayor in 1901. From
17760-417: The disputes over the types of cables had delayed the contract for the bridge's superstructure (composed of its towers and deck). The bridge's completion had been delayed by two years, and its cost had increased by $ 2 million. The cable dispute was not fully resolved until 1906, when Best's successor James W. Stevenson announced that the bridge would use wire cables. Best reviewed bids for the construction of
17945-460: The eastern roadway's reopening by another 18 months. The renovation of the Manhattan Bridge was behind schedule by the end of 1986, in part because of the corrosion. Legal issues, traffic reroutes, and concerns about the capabilities of the main contractor were also cited as causes for the delays in the renovation. Inspectors subsequently found that twenty of the girders below the lower deck had cracks as much as 15 inches (380 mm) wide. Due to
18130-408: The end, it was decided to use number 8 Birmingham gauge (approximately 4 mm or 0.165 inches in diameter) crucible steel, and a request for bids was distributed, to which eight companies responded. In January 1877, a contract for crucible steel was awarded to J. Lloyd Haigh , who was associated with bridge trustee Abram Hewitt , whom Roebling distrusted. The spinning of the wires required
18315-479: The evening. In 2009, the bridge was designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers . An $ 834 million project to replace the Manhattan Bridge's suspension cables was announced in 2010. The work was scheduled to take two years. The lower roadway was permanently reconfigured in July 2015 to carry traffic toward Manhattan only; prior to this change,
18500-475: The fault of another contractor, the Cambria Iron Company , who was manufacturing the eyebars for the bridge trusses; at that point, the contract was supposed to be complete by October 1882. Further complicating the situation, Washington Roebling had failed to appear at the trustees' meeting in June 1882, since he had gone to Newport, Rhode Island . After the news media discovered this, most of
18685-477: The federal government enacted the Clean Air Act , a series of federal air pollution regulations. As part of a plan by mayor John Lindsay and the federal Environmental Protection Agency , the city government considered implementing tolls on the four free East River bridges, including the Manhattan Bridge, in the early 1970s. The plan would have raised money for New York City's transit system and allowed
18870-402: The final total was thought to be about 2,500 men in total. In spite of this, only a few workers were paralyzed. At its final depth, the caisson's air pressure was 21 pounds per square inch (140 kPa). The Manhattan side's caisson was the next structure to be built. To ensure that it would not catch fire like its counterpart had, the Manhattan caisson was lined with fireproof plate iron. It
19055-403: The fire was called, delayed construction for several months, since the holes in the caisson had to be repaired. On March 6, 1871, the repairs were finished, and the caisson had reached its final depth of 44.5 feet (13.6 m); it was filled with concrete five days later. Overall, about 264 individuals were estimated to have worked in the caisson every day, but because of high worker turnover ,
19240-466: The firm was awarded a $ 97.8 million contract that August. City Comptroller Elizabeth Holtzman originally denied the contract to the company because of concerns about corruption, but she was overridden by Mayor David Dinkins , who wanted to complete repairs quickly. The NYCDOT began conducting more frequent inspections of the bridge after inspectors found holes in beams that had been deemed structurally sound during previous inspections. A shantytown at
19425-417: The first floor panel in the main span was installed the same month. Each of the girders was hung from a pair of suspender cables, and floor panels were hung between the girders at a rate of four panels a day. It took workers three weeks to install the floor panels; and the last panel was installed on April 7, 1909. The bridge commissioner received $ 1 million from the Board of Estimate and Apportionment for
19610-522: The five defects identified in a 1978 inspection. As a result, the general contractor was ousted in August 1988, and the New York State Department of Transportation had to hire another contractor, increasing the project's cost. The eastern roadway of the Manhattan Bridge reopened in December 1988; the north tracks also reopened at that time, and the south tracks were closed. Although the NYCDOT had planned to halt work for 16 months,
19795-588: The following month. Washington Roebling , John Roebling's 32-year-old son, was then hired to fill his father's role. Tammany Hall leader William M. Tweed also became involved in the bridge's construction because, as a major landowner in New York City, he had an interest in the project's completion. The New York and Brooklyn Bridge Company—later known simply as the New York Bridge Company —was actually overseen by Tammany Hall, and it approved Roebling's plans and designated him as chief engineer of
19980-474: The footbridges were finished, workers installed guide wires, which were laid as continuous loops. Two guide wheels, one at either end of each guide wire, carried the main cables' wires across the river between each anchorage. These wheels were powered by a motor atop the Brooklyn anchorage. In addition, reels of wire were stored at both ends of the bridge. The guide wheels laid up to 100 short tons (89 long tons; 91 t) of wire every day. The last wires for
20165-413: The forces of nature to his control and use. Though Washington Roebling was unable to attend the ceremony (and rarely visited the site again), he held a celebratory banquet at his house on the day of the bridge opening. Further festivity included the performance by a band, gunfire from ships, and a fireworks display. On that first day, a total of 1,800 vehicles and 150,300 people crossed the span. Less than
20350-429: The four main cables. Crossbeams run between the trusses at the top, and diagonal and vertical stiffening beams run on the outside and inside of each roadway. An elevated pedestrian-only promenade runs in between the two roadways and 18 feet (5.5 m) above them. It typically runs 4 feet (1.2 m) below the level of the crossbeams, except at the areas surrounding each tower. Here, the promenade rises to just above
20535-457: The four main cables. Each drum had a capacity of 60,000 feet (18,000 m) of wire. The first experimental wire for the main cables was stretched between the towers on May 29, 1877, and spinning began two weeks later. All four main cables were being strung by that July. During that time, the temporary footbridge was unofficially opened to members of the public, who could receive a visitor's pass; by August 1877 several thousand visitors from around
20720-500: The height of the deck. The Manhattan tower was finished that March, followed by the Brooklyn tower the next month. Land acquisition was nearly done by the middle of that year. Andrew McC. Parker of the Ryan-Parker Company had predicted in January 1908 that the cables would be strung within two months. The Roebling & Sons Company started manufacturing the wires for the cables before the towers were finished, while
20905-420: The intricacies of cable construction. She spent the next 11 years helping supervise the bridge's construction, taking over much of the chief engineer's duties, including day-to-day supervision and project management. After the caissons were completed, piers were constructed on top of each of them upon which masonry towers would be built. The towers' construction was a complex process that took four years. Since
21090-433: The last of the main cables' wires went over the river. After the suspender wires had been placed, workers began erecting steel crossbeams to support the roadway as part of the bridge's overall superstructure. Construction on the bridge's superstructure started in March 1879, but, as with the cables, the trustees initially disagreed on whether the steel superstructure should be made of Bessemer or crucible steel. That July,
21275-581: The latter's wife, Emily Warren Roebling . Construction started in 1870 and was overseen by the New York Bridge Company, which in turn was controlled by the Tammany Hall political machine. Numerous controversies and the novelty of the design prolonged the project over thirteen years. After opening, the Brooklyn Bridge underwent several reconfigurations, having carried horse-drawn vehicles and elevated railway lines until 1950. To alleviate increasing traffic flows, additional bridges and tunnels were built across
21460-412: The legislators passed a law authorizing the allotment with the condition that the cities would buy the stock of Brooklyn Bridge's private stockholders. Work proceeded concurrently on the anchorages on each side. The Brooklyn anchorage broke ground in January 1873 and was subsequently substantially completed in August 1875. The Manhattan anchorage was built in less time, having started in May 1875, it
21645-621: The level of the crossbeams, connecting to a balcony that slightly overhangs the two roadways. The path is generally 10 to 17 feet (3.0 to 5.2 m) wide. The iron railings were produced by Janes & Kirtland , a Bronx iron foundry that also made the United States Capitol dome and the Bow Bridge in Central Park . Each of the side spans is reached by an approach ramp. The 971-foot (296 m) approach ramp from
21830-504: The lower roadway carried traffic toward Brooklyn for six hours every afternoon. The same year, the NYCDOT began allowing Brooklyn-bound drivers to exit onto Concord Street in Brooklyn at all times; previously, drivers could only exit onto Concord Street during the afternoon rush hours. The Concord Street exit was again closed outside the afternoon rush hour in early 2016. After rubble was found in Brooklyn Bridge Park under
22015-457: The lowest bid for Bessemer steel, but at Hewitt's direction, the contract was awarded to Haigh. A subsequent investigation discovered that Haigh had substituted inferior quality wire in the cables. Of eighty rings of wire that were tested, only five met standards, and it was estimated that Haigh had earned $ 300,000 from the deception. At this point, it was too late to replace the cables that had already been constructed. Roebling determined that
22200-467: The main cables above the tops of each suspension tower. Each saddle weighs 15 short tons (13 long tons; 14 t). In contrast to the Williamsburg and Brooklyn bridges (where the saddles are placed on movable rollers), the saddles are fixed in place, as the towers themselves were intended to flex slightly to accommodate the strains placed on each cable. If the bridge was loaded to full capacity,
22385-418: The main cables and support the deck. By May 1878, the main cables were more than two-thirds complete. However, the following month, one of the wires slipped, killing two people and injuring three others. In 1877, Hewitt wrote a letter urging against the use of Bessemer steel in the bridge's construction. Bids had been submitted for both crucible steel and Bessemer steel; John A. Roebling's Sons submitted
22570-539: The main cables were strung in December 1908. That month, the Board of Estimate and Apportionment hired engineer Ralph Modjeski to review the engineering drawings for the Manhattan Bridge, after the City Club of New York expressed concerns over the bridge's safety. Afterward, the Glyndon Construction Company installed the vertical suspender cables, which were hung from the main cables. By
22755-413: The manufacture of large coils of it which were galvanized but not oiled when they left the factory. The coils were delivered to a yard near the Brooklyn anchorage. There they were dipped in linseed oil , hoisted to the top of the anchorage, dried out and spliced into a single wire, and finally coated with red zinc for further galvanizing. There were thirty-two drums at the anchorage yard, eight for each of
22940-451: The masonry blocks were heavy, the builders transported them to the base of the towers using a pulley system with a continuous 1.5-inch (3.8 cm)-diameter steel wire rope, operated by steam engines at ground level. The blocks were then carried up on a timber track alongside each tower and maneuvered into the proper position using a derrick atop the towers. The blocks sometimes vibrated the ropes because of their weight, but only once did
23125-536: The mayors of New York and Brooklyn, as well as the mayors of each city and the auditor and comptroller of Brooklyn. The company was tasked with constructing what was then known as the New York and Brooklyn Bridge. Alternatively, the span was just referred to as the "Brooklyn Bridge", a name originating in a January 25, 1867, letter to the editor sent to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle . The act of incorporation, which became law on April 16, 1867, authorized
23310-469: The mean high water mark to the tops of the cables; the ornamental finials atop each tower are 350 feet (110 m) above high water. Each tower sits on a masonry pier that measures 68 by 134 feet (21 by 41 m) across and projects 23 feet (7.0 m) above mean high water. The tops of each pier taper to a steel pedestal measuring 18 by 43 feet (5.5 by 13.1 m), from which rise the columns of each tower. The foundations of each tower, consisting of
23495-505: The means to pay for the bridge's construction. It would also include a raised promenade that served as a leisurely pathway. The proposal received much acclaim in both cities, and residents predicted that the New York and Brooklyn Bridge's opening would have as much of an impact as the Suez Canal , the first transatlantic telegraph cable or the first transcontinental railroad . By early 1869, however, some individuals started to criticize
23680-553: The newspapers called for Roebling to be fired as chief engineer, except for the Daily State Gazette of Trenton, New Jersey , and the Brooklyn Daily Eagle . Some of the longstanding trustees, including Henry C. Murphy , James S. T. Stranahan , and William C. Kingsley , were willing to vouch for Roebling, since construction progress on the Brooklyn Bridge was still ongoing. However, Roebling's behavior
23865-464: The outset, the bridge was planned to have a central roadway, streetcar tracks, elevated tracks, and sidewalks, and it was to run straight onto an extension of Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. In the earliest plans it was to have been called "Bridge No. 3", but was given the name Manhattan Bridge in 1902. When the name was confirmed in 1904, The New York Times criticized it as "meaningless", lobbied for one after Brooklyn's Wallabout Bay , and railed that
24050-497: The poorer wire would leave the bridge only four times as strong as necessary, rather than six to eight times as strong. The inferior-quality wire was allowed to remain and 150 extra wires were added to each cable. To avoid public controversy, Haigh was not fired, but instead was required to personally pay for higher-quality wire. The contract for the remaining wire was awarded to the John A. Roebling's Sons, and by October 5, 1878,
24235-439: The process, it was determined that the main span would have to be raised from 130 to 135 feet (40 to 41 m) above MHW, requiring several changes to the overall design. In June 1869, while conducting these surveys, Roebling sustained a crush injury to his foot when a ferry pinned it against a piling . After amputation of his crushed toes, he developed a tetanus infection that left him incapacitated and resulted in his death
24420-417: The project, saying either that the bridge was too expensive, or that the construction process was too difficult. To allay concerns about the design of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge, Roebling set up a "Bridge Party" in March 1869, where he invited engineers and members of U.S. Congress to see his other spans. Following the bridge party in April, Roebling and several engineers conducted final surveys. During
24605-511: The project. Construction of the Brooklyn Bridge began on January 2, 1870. The first work entailed the construction of two caissons, upon which the suspension towers would be built. The Brooklyn side's caisson was built at the Webb & Bell shipyard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn , and was launched into the river on March 19, 1870. Compressed air was pumped into the caisson, and workers entered
24790-408: The railings on the upper roadways. The city government announced in 1938 that it would replace the lower deck's wooden pavement with a steel-and-concrete pavement; the repaving was completed that December. Simultaneously, the railings on the upper roadways were raised again. As part of a Works Progress Administration project, a ramp at the Brooklyn end of the bridge was widened in 1941, replacing
24975-513: The restoration being completed in April 2001 for $ 11 million. The project entailed cleaning the structures and installing 258 floodlights. To celebrate the bridge's centennial, a series of events and exhibits were organized by the New York City Bridge Centennial Commission in October 2009. These included a ceremonial parade across the Manhattan Bridge on the morning of October 4 and a fireworks display in
25160-502: The restriction would allow both levels to be used to their full capacity; the decision ended up placing additional loads on the bridge. To reduce congestion at the Manhattan end, left-hand traffic was implemented on the lower level during the 1920s, as most vehicles heading into Manhattan turned left at the end of the bridge. Motorists continued to use the Manhattan Bridge even after the Brooklyn Bridge reopened to motorists in 1925, contributing to heavy congestion during rush hours. At
25345-425: The river, and the two ends were spliced to form a traveler, a lengthy loop of wire connecting the towers, which was driven by a 30 horsepower (22 kW) steam hoisting engine at ground level. The wire was one of two that were used to create a temporary footbridge for workers while cable spinning was ongoing. The next step was to send an engineer across the completed traveler wire in a boatswain's chair slung from
25530-429: The roadways. Each main cable measures 15.75 inches (40.0 cm) in diameter and contains 5,282 parallel, galvanized steel wires wrapped closely together in a cylindrical shape. These wires are bundled in 19 individual strands, with 278 wires to a strand. This was the first use of bundling in a suspension bridge and took several months for workers to tie together. Since the 2000s, the main cables have also supported
25715-407: The same as the toll on the Brooklyn Bridge. Empty commercial vehicles tended to use the Manhattan Bridge, while trucks with full loads used the Brooklyn Bridge, since the Manhattan Bridge's wood-block pavement was less sturdy than the Brooklyn Bridge's plank pavement. A fire on the Brooklyn side damaged the bridge in early 1910, necessitating the replacement of some cables and steel. Though both of
25900-560: The same year. The city allocated $ 675,000 for a plaza at the Brooklyn end in March 1913, including a subway tunnel under the plaza, and the Northeastern Construction Company submitted the low bid for the plaza's construction. The arch and colonnade were completed in 1915, while the pylons on the Brooklyn side were installed in November 1916. The bridge approaches cost just over $ 1.53 million to construct. In an attempt to speed up automotive traffic, in 1918,
26085-403: The space to dig the sediment until it sank to the bedrock. As one sixteen-year-old from Ireland, Frank Harris , described the fearful experience: The six of us were working naked to the waist in the small iron chamber with the temperature of about 80 degrees Fahrenheit: In five minutes the sweat was pouring from us, and all the while we were standing in icy water that was only kept from rising by
26270-462: The space under the Manhattan approach reopened in May 2023 as a park called the Arches; this was followed in November 2024 by another 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m ) section of parkland. The Brooklyn Bridge contains four main cables, which descend from the tops of the suspension towers and help support the deck. Two are located to the outside of the bridge's roadways, while two are in the median of
26455-618: The span "would have geographical and historical significance if it were known as the Wallabout Bridge". In 1905, the Times renewed its campaign, stating, "All bridges across the East River are Manhattan bridges. When there was only one, it was well enough to call it the Brooklyn Bridge, or the East River Bridge". The earliest plans for what became the Manhattan Bridge were designed by R. S. Buck. These plans called for
26640-478: The span, the height above MHW could fluctuate by more than 9 feet (2.7 m) due to temperature and traffic loads, while more rigid spans had a lower maximum deflection . The side spans, between each suspension tower and each side's suspension anchorages, are 930 feet (280 m) long. At the time of construction, engineers had not yet discovered the aerodynamics of bridge construction, and bridge designs were not tested in wind tunnels . John Roebling designed
26825-428: The subway tracks today. The MBTCL continued operating trolleys over the bridge until November 13, 1929, by which time patronage had declined due to the growth of the automobile, as well as rapid transit. The line operated as a shuttle across the bridge using the south tracks of the bridge. The car house was still standing as of 1998. Manhattan Bridge The Manhattan Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses
27010-400: The subway trains had caused deep and widespread cracks to form in the bridge's floor beams, prompting the city government to replace 300 deteriorated beams during the late 1970s. The deck twisted up to 8 feet (2.4 m) every time a train passed by, and trains had to slow down on the bridge. A New York Times reporter wrote that diagonal cable stays might eventually need to be installed;
27195-459: The terrific pressure. No wonder the headaches were blinding. Once the caisson had reached the desired depth, it was to be filled in with vertical brick piers and concrete. However, due to the unexpectedly high concentration of large boulders atop the riverbed, the Brooklyn caisson took several months to sink to the desired depth. Furthermore, in December 1870, its timber roof caught fire, delaying construction further. The "Great Blowout", as
27380-402: The time, the Brooklyn Bridge carried 10,000 vehicles a day (in part due to its low speed limit), while the Manhattan Bridge carried 60,000 vehicles daily. When the lower level was repaved in early 1927, Manhattan-bound traffic was temporarily banned from the lower level at night. That October, Brooklyn borough president James J. Byrne proposed replacing the Three Cent Line's trolley tracks with
27565-409: The time, the NYCDOT had set a January 2004 deadline for the renovation. The eastern upper roadway was closed for a renovation starting in 2002. The original pedestrian walkway on the west side of the bridge was reopened in June 2001, having been closed for 20 years. It was shared with bicycles until late summer 2004, when a dedicated bicycle path was opened on the east side of the bridge. The bike path
27750-518: The tops of the towers could bend up to 25 inches (640 mm) toward the center of the river. The steel beams also expanded by up to 0.75 inches (19 mm) just sitting in the sun. The Manhattan Bridge contains four main cables, which measure 3,224 ft (983 m) long. They descend from the tops of the suspension towers and help support the deck. The cables weigh a combined 6,000 short tons (5,400 long tons; 5,400 t) and can carry 110,000 short tons (98,000 long tons; 100,000 t) including
27935-524: The tower's foundations. The contract for the Brooklyn suspension tower was awarded in May 1901. The caisson under the tower on the Brooklyn side was installed in March 1902; workers excavated dirt for the foundations from within the caisson, a process that was completed in December 1902. Three workers had died while working on the Brooklyn-side tower's caisson. A plan for the bridge was announced in early 1903. Elevated and trolley routes would use
28120-652: The towers. Each tower contains a pair of Gothic Revival pointed arches, through which the roadways run. The arch openings are 117 feet (36 m) tall and 33.75 feet (10.29 m) wide. The tops of the towers are located 159 feet (48 m) above the floor of each arch opening, while the floors of the openings are 119.25 feet (36.35 m) above mean water level, giving the towers a total height of 278.25 feet (84.81 m) above mean high water. The towers rest on underwater caissons made of southern yellow pine and filled with cement. Inside both caissons were spaces for construction workers. The Manhattan side's caisson
28305-399: The towers. Land acquisition for an extension of Flatbush Avenue to the bridge began in March, and the first steel girders of the towers were lifted in place the next month. The first steel pedestals for the towers were installed on June 26, 1907. The anchorages were nearly done by late 1907; they could not be completed until the cables were finished. The city government acquired land for
28490-551: The trustees decided to award a contract for 500 short tons (450 long tons) of Bessemer steel to the Edgemoor (or Edge Moor) Iron Works, based in Philadelphia , to be delivered by 1880. The trustees later passed another resolution for another 500 short tons (450 long tons) of Bessemer steel. However, by February 1880 the steel deliveries had not started. That October, the bridge trustees questioned Edgemoor's president about
28675-496: The underwater section of each pier and a caisson below it, descend 92 feet (28 m) below mean high water. The caissons measure 78 by 144 feet (24 by 44 m) across. They have concrete walls and contained a working chamber divided into three compartments. Each tower is made of 6,500 short tons (5,800 long tons; 5,900 t) of steel, much heavier than the towers of similar suspension bridges. The towers are composed of four columns oriented transversely (perpendicularly) to
28860-432: The upper level the following year. To increase traffic flow, both upper roadways were temporarily converted to reversible lanes during rush hours in 1934; the lower roadway was repaired, and the bridge was repainted the same year. The city's commissioner of plant and structures also requested $ 725,000 in federal funds for various repairs. During 1937, the city awarded a contract to repair the bridge's steelwork and raised
29045-510: The upper level. The deck is 120 feet (37 m) wide. As designed, the lower-level roadway was 34 feet (10 m) or 35 feet (11 m) wide. The walkway and bikeway were each 10 feet (3.0 m) or 12 feet (3.7 m) wide. The Manhattan-bound (eastern) upper-level roadway is 24 feet (7.3 m) wide, while the Brooklyn-bound (western) roadway is 22.5 feet (6.9 m) wide; both roadways narrow to 19 feet (5.8 m) at
29230-478: The upper roadways. Also on the lower level are a walkway on the south (geographically facing west) and a bikeway on the north side (geographically facing east). Originally, there were four streetcar tracks above the four rapid transit tracks. Although both levels could theoretically have accommodated either streetcars or elevated rapid transit, subways could use only the lower level because subway trains would have needed to climb an excessively steep slope to reach
29415-403: The vault's spaces necessitated repairs during the late 1980s and early 1990s. By the late 1990s, the chambers were being used to store maintenance equipment. The bridge's two suspension towers are 278 feet (85 m) tall with a footprint of 140 by 59 feet (43 by 18 m) at the high water line. They are built of limestone , granite , and Rosendale cement . The limestone was quarried at
29600-716: The weight of the cables themselves. The cables measure either 20.75 inches (527 mm), 21 inches (533 mm), or 21.25 inches (540 mm) in diameter. Unlike the Williamsburg Bridge (but like other suspension bridges), the wires on the Manhattan Bridge's cables are galvanized to prevent rusting. Each cable consists of 9,472 parallel wires, which are grouped into 37 strands of 256 wires. The wires measure 3 ⁄ 16 inch (4.8 mm) across. The cables themselves are capable of resisting loads of up to 30,000 short tons (27,000 long tons; 27,000 t). Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge
29785-468: The western roadway was closed for emergency repairs in February 1989 after two corroded beams sagged. Newsday reported that the western roadway had urgently required repair for almost three years but had remained open to avoid shutting down all four of the bridge's subway tracks at once. The cables, trusses, and subway frame on the eastern half of the bridge had to be repaired, and the lower roadway needed complete replacement. After seven columns supporting
29970-427: The western upper roadway during the morning in August 1952. Instead, two of the three lower-level lanes began carrying Manhattan-bound traffic during the morning; previously, Manhattan-bound vehicles could use only one of the lower-level lanes at all times. By the mid-1950s, there were frequent car accidents on the Manhattan Bridge, which injured 411 people and killed nine people between 1953 and 1955 alone. In addition,
30155-470: The western upper-deck roadway. Initially scheduled to be completed by July 1930, the roadway ultimately opened in June 1931 and carried Brooklyn-bound traffic. The eastern upper-deck roadway was converted to carry Manhattan-bound traffic, and the center roadway was turned into a lane for buses and trucks. At the time, nearly 65,000 vehicles used the bridge every day, of which nearly a quarter were buses and trucks. A set of 119 streetlights were installed on
30340-443: The wire, to ensure it was safe enough. The bridge's master mechanic, E.F. Farrington, was selected for this task, and an estimated crowd of 10,000 people on both shores watched him cross. A second traveler wire was then stretched across the span, a task that was completed by August 30. The temporary footbridge, located some 60 feet (18 m) above the elevation of the future deck, was completed in February 1877. By December 1876,
30525-445: The world had used the footbridge. The visitor passes ceased that September after a visitor had an epileptic seizure and nearly fell off. As the wires were being spun, work also commenced on the demolition of buildings on either side of the river for the Brooklyn Bridge's approaches; this work was mostly complete by September 1877. The following month, initial contracts were awarded for the suspender wires, which would hang down from
30710-453: Was awarded just over $ 300,000 in 1912, an amount that was increased to over $ 380,000 in 1916. After the bridge opened, Carrère and Hastings drew up preliminary plans for a Beaux Arts -style entrance to the bridge in Manhattan and a smaller approach on the Brooklyn side. The city's Municipal Art Commission approved a $ 700,000 plan for the bridge's Manhattan approach in April 1910. The final plans were approved in 1912, and construction began
30895-480: Was better than the more established practice of using wire cables . The Municipal Art Commission voted in September 1904 to use wire cables on the bridge. Lindenthal was ultimately dismissed and a new design was commissioned from Leon Moisseiff . George Best replaced Lindenthal as the city's bridge commissioner and discarded the eyebar plans in favor of the wire cables. Hornbostel was replaced by Carrère and Hastings as architectural consultants. By late 1904,
31080-524: Was broken for the Brooklyn tower foundation. His debilitating condition left him unable to supervise the construction in person, so he designed the caissons and other equipment from his apartment, directing "the completion of the bridge through a telescope from his bedroom." His wife, Emily Warren Roebling , not only provided written communications between her husband and the engineers on site, but also understood mathematics , calculations of catenary curves, strengths of materials, bridge specifications, and
31265-503: Was built first, originally had a height of 9.5 feet (2.9 m) and a ceiling composed of five layers of timber, each layer 1 foot (0.30 m) tall. Ten more layers of timber were later added atop the ceiling, and the entire caisson was wrapped in tin and wood for further protection against flooding. The thickness of the caisson's sides was 8 feet (2.4 m) at both the bottom and the top. The caisson had six chambers: two each for dredging , supply shafts, and airlocks . The caisson on
31450-474: Was considered suspect among the younger trustees who had joined the board more recently. Construction on the bridge itself was noted in formal reports that Murphy presented each month to the mayors of New York and Brooklyn. For example, Murphy's report in August 1882 noted that the month's progress included 114 intermediate cords erected within a week, as well as 72 diagonal stays, 60 posts, and numerous floor beams, bridging trusses, and stay bars. By early 1883,
31635-412: Was dangerous: by 1876, three workers had died having fallen from the towers, while nine other workers were killed in other accidents. In 1875, while the towers were being constructed, the project had depleted its original $ 5 million budget. Two bridge commissioners, one each from Brooklyn and Manhattan, petitioned New York state lawmakers to allot another $ 8 million for construction. Ultimately,
31820-418: Was finished in August 1909, almost exactly a year after the first strand of the first main cable was strung. Workers then installed ornamentation on the tops of the towers and bronze collars on each of the main cables. Modjeski reported that September that the bridge was safe. At the time, the plazas were incomplete, and Flatbush Avenue Extension was unpaved; the bridge commissioner was razing buildings near
32005-492: Was fired in 1904. The steel was fabricated by the Phoenix Bridge Company. The Manhattan Bridge has four vehicle lanes on the upper level, split between two roadways carrying opposite directions of traffic. The southbound roadway to Brooklyn is on the west side of the bridge, while the northbound roadway to Manhattan is on the east side. The lower level has three Manhattan-bound vehicle lanes (formerly reversible until 2015 ) and four rapid transit/subway tracks , two under each of
32190-553: Was installed in 1922. After streetcars stopped running in 1929, the western upper roadway was finished two years later. The uneven weight of subway trains crossing the Manhattan Bridge caused it to tilt to one side, necessitating an extensive reconstruction between 1982 and 2004. The Manhattan Bridge was the first suspension bridge to use a Warren truss in its design. It has a main span of 1,480 ft (451 m) between two 350-foot (110 m) suspension towers. The deck carries seven vehicular lanes, four on an upper level and three on
32375-404: Was launched from Webb & Bell's shipyard on May 11, 1871, and maneuvered into place that September. Due to the extreme underwater air pressure inside the much deeper Manhattan caisson, many workers became sick with "the bends"— decompression sickness —during this work, despite the incorporation of airlocks (which were believed to help with decompression sickness at the time). This condition
32560-493: Was mostly completed in July 1876. The anchorages could not be fully completed until the main cables were spun, at which point another 6 feet (1.8 m) would be added to the height of each 80-foot (24 m) anchorage. The first temporary wire was stretched between the towers on August 15, 1876, using chrome steel provided by the Chrome Steel Company of Brooklyn. The wire was then stretched back across
32745-509: Was not properly addressing concerns about the bridge's safety. Starting in January 1991, trucks and buses were banned from the lower roadway, which was also closed for repairs during nights and weekends. Meanwhile, the weight of heavy trucks created holes in the upper roadbed, so a three-ton weight limit was imposed. The NYCDOT selected the Yonkers Contracting Company as the bridge's main contractor in early 1992, and
32930-508: Was originally called the New York and Brooklyn Bridge or the East River Bridge but was officially renamed the Brooklyn Bridge in 1915. Proposals for a bridge connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn were first made in the early 19th century, which eventually led to the construction of the current span, designed by John A. Roebling . The project's chief engineer, his son Washington Roebling , contributed further design work, assisted by
33115-502: Was planning to erect streetcar terminal buildings at either end of the bridge. To avoid the delays that had occurred during the Williamsburg Bridge 's construction, Best planned to award a single large contract for the towers and the deck, rather than splitting the work into multiple contracts. He began soliciting bids for the metalwork in July 1905, at which point the bridge was to use 44,000 short tons (39,000 long tons; 40,000 t) of metal. The Pennsylvania Steel Company received
33300-399: Was poorly signed, leading to cyclist and pedestrian conflicts. By the time work on the bridge was completed in 2004, the final cost of the renovation totaled $ 800 million. The lower-level roadway was then renovated between 2004 and 2008. The arch and colonnade had also become deteriorated, having become covered with graffiti and dirt. The enclosed plaza within the colonnade had been used as
33485-436: Was replaced in the 1980s with galvanized steel made by Bethlehem Steel . The vertical suspender cables measure 8 to 130 feet (2.4 to 39.6 m) long, and the diagonal stays measure 138 to 449 feet (42 to 137 m) long. Each side of the bridge contains an anchorage for the main cables. The anchorages are trapezoidal limestone structures located slightly inland of the shore, measuring 129 by 119 feet (39 by 36 m) at
33670-421: Was temporarily closed starting in April 1986, and all northbound traffic was shifted to the lower level, as part of a $ 45 million project to replace the roadway and its steel supports. The north tracks underneath were closed that month. The roadway was originally supposed to reopen within 15 months, but contractors found that one of the anchors for the main cables was far more corroded than anticipated, delaying
33855-435: Was temporarily closed to all traffic in November 1955. The eastern upper roadway was again closed during the midday in early 1956 for suspender cable repairs, and the whole span was closed during nights in June 1956. All lanes were again open by that August. The city had still not decided whether to move the subway tracks to a double-deck structure in the middle of the bridge, even though that plan would have reduced strain on
34040-595: Was the only operator of transit over the bridge. In 1915, the trolleys were moved to the upper roadways of the bridge, and the BRT subway lines were connected to the former MBTCL's tracks. The bridge was shared by the Brooklyn and North River Railroad MBTCL intended to sue the B&;NR January 1916 over alleged franchise violations. The MBTCL operated from Fulton Street and Flatbush extension in Downtown Brooklyn to
34225-440: Was unknown at the time and was first called "caisson disease" by the project physician, Andrew Smith. Between January 25 and May 31, 1872, Smith treated 110 cases of decompression sickness, while three workers died from the disease. When iron probes underneath the Manhattan caisson found the bedrock to be even deeper than expected, Washington Roebling halted construction due to the increased risk of decompression sickness. After
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