181-870: Queens Boulevard is a major thoroughfare connecting Midtown Manhattan , via the Queensboro Bridge , to Jamaica in Queens , New York City, United States. It is 7.5 miles (12.1 km) long and forms part of New York State Route 25 . Queens Boulevard runs northwest to southeast from Queens Plaza at the Queensboro Bridge entrance in Long Island City . It runs through the neighborhoods of Sunnyside , Woodside , Elmhurst , Rego Park , Forest Hills , Kew Gardens , and Briarwood before terminating at Jamaica Avenue in Jamaica. The boulevard
362-511: A freeway , which ultimately never occurred. Queens Boulevard runs northwest to southeast across a little short of half the length of the borough, starting at Queens Plaza at the Queensboro Bridge entrance in Long Island City and running through the neighborhoods of Sunnyside , Woodside , Elmhurst , Rego Park , Forest Hills , Kew Gardens , and Briarwood before terminating at Jamaica Avenue in Jamaica . At 7.5 miles (12.1 km), it
543-484: A "Queen of the Queensboro Bridge" beauty pageant in a local newspaper, and a week of carnivals. During late 1909, the Williams Engineering and Contracting Company sued the city for damages relating to the unbuilt elevators on Blackwell's Island, and there was another lawsuit over its safety. There was a ten-cent toll to drive over the bridge, although pedestrians walked across for free. Shortly after
724-476: A British name, it stuck. The structural engineers tasked with studying the bridge concluded that it was structurally sound, although the bridge was altered to carry two elevated tracks rather than four. There was still skepticism over the bridge's structural integrity, and the Bridge Department planned to remove some heavy stringers from the upper deck to reduce the bridge's dead load. Paving of
905-521: A bridge, including two proposals by Queens doctor Thomas Rainey, never came to fruition. After the creation of the City of Greater New York in 1898, plans for a city-operated bridge were finalized in 1901. The bridge opened for public use on March 30, 1909, and was initially used by pedestrians, horse-drawn and motor vehicles, elevated trains, and trolleys. Elevated service ceased in 1942, followed by trolley service in 1957. The upper-level roadways were built in
1086-433: A college education or higher. The percentage of Midtown Manhattan students excelling in math rose from 61% in 2000 to 80% in 2011 and reading achievement increased from 66% to 68% during the same time period. Midtown Manhattan's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is lower than the rest of New York City. In Midtown Manhattan, 19% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year , less than
1267-576: A contract for the new roadway in August 1929 and started construction the same month. A contract for the Queens approach viaduct was awarded to Bersin-Ronn Engineering Corporation in April 1930. The upper roadway was substantially completed by early 1931; it opened that June and carried only eastbound cars. By then, the bridge was carrying almost 100,000 vehicles a day. A new footpath was also constructed on
1448-431: A local group estimated that the bridge would not be completed for fifty years. Work on the superstructure began later in 1905. By that November, workers had erected part of a steel tower atop the pier on the western side of Blackwell's Island; at the time, the media anticipated that 3,000 short tons (2,700 long tons; 2,700 t) of steel would be erected every month. The first steel span, that above Blackwell's Island,
1629-526: A low bid of $ 1.577 million for the construction of the Manhattan approach that May, and work on that approach began that July. After the collapse of the similarly designed Quebec Bridge in mid-1907, engineers said they had no concerns about the Blackwell's Island Bridge. The steel towers above both of the Blackwell's Island piers had been completed and were being painted. That September, some beams at
1810-536: A low bid of $ 798,000. Work on the Queens approach began in February 1907. By then, about 45,000 short tons (40,000 long tons; 41,000 t) of steel for the bridge, representing nine-tenths of the steel contract, had been manufactured. Workers erected 512 tons of steel each day. To erect the two spans across the East River's west and east channels, they first built steel towers above each pier, then constructed
1991-515: A low population of residents who are uninsured . In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 11%, slightly less than the citywide rate of 12%. The concentration of fine particulate matter , the deadliest type of air pollutant , in Midtown Manhattan is 0.0113 milligrams per cubic metre (1.13 × 10 oz/cu ft), more than the city average. Eleven percent of Midtown Manhattan residents are smokers , which
SECTION 10
#17327729039452172-419: A lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 81.2% between 1990 and 2022. The precinct reported 8 murders, 23 rapes, 653 robberies, 502 felony assaults, 660 burglaries, 2,375 grand larcenies, and 68 grand larcenies auto in 2022. The main part of midtown Manhattan, between 34th and 59th Streets from Lexington Avenue to Eighth Avenue, is served by five fire stations of
2353-470: A lowering of the speed limit from 35 mph to 30 mph and the construction of new pedestrian median refuges. The safety improvements have proven successful, without the predicted backups. Between 1980 and 1984, at least 22 people died and 18 were injured in a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) stretch of Queens Boulevard in Rego Park and Forest Hills. From 1993 to 2000, 72 pedestrians were killed trying to cross
2534-600: A major force in Midtown Manhattan's economy, and indeed the city's, as the total value of all New York City property was estimated at US$ 914.8 billion for the 2015 fiscal year . Manhattan has perennially been home to some of the nation's, as well as one of the world's, most marketable real estate, including the Time Warner Center , which had the highest-listed market value in the city in 2006 at US$ 1.1 billion, to be subsequently surpassed in October 2014 by
2715-409: A masonry bridge between Manhattan and Queens in 1804. The Family Magazine published an article in 1833, suggesting a bridge between Manhattan and Queens over Roosevelt Island (which then was known as Blackwell's Island). An architect named R. Graves proposed a three-span suspension bridge linking Manhattan to Long Island City . Queens, in the late 1830s. John A. Roebling , who would later design
2896-552: A maximum grade of 3.41 percent. The spans were intended to be at least 118 feet (36 m) above mean high water ; the bridge reaches a maximum height of 135 feet (41 m) or 140 feet (43 m) above high mean water. Until it was surpassed by the Quebec Bridge in 1917, the span between Manhattan and Roosevelt Island was the longest cantilever in North America; it was also the second-longest worldwide, after
3077-407: A month, during which workers were not allowed to complete steel castings for the bridge. By that August, over 6,000 short tons (5,400 long tons; 5,400 t) of steel castings had been completed, and another 20,000 short tons (18,000 long tons; 18,000 t) of castings were being fabricated. There was not enough material to begin constructing the superstructure. There were so few workers on site,
3258-588: A number of private languages and music centers (e.g. Berlitz , American Language Communication Center, New York Language Center, Swan Music School, and the New York Youth Symphony ). The La Scuola d'Italia Guglielmo Marconi Italian international school moved to West Midtown in 2016. The New York Public Library (NYPL) operates the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (also the Main Branch),
3439-414: A pair of trolley tracks. The northern and southern lower-level roadways each had one additional trolley track, for a total of four trolley tracks. The central roadway originally had a wood block pavement. As of 2023 , the lower level has five vehicular lanes: two in each direction within the center roadway and one eastbound lane on the southern roadway. The northern lower-level roadway was converted into
3620-511: A permanent pedestrian walk and bicycle path in September 2000. The five spans are supported by six piers; the westernmost and easternmost piers act as anchorages. Each of the piers consists of two columns supported by an elliptical arch measuring 50 feet (15 m) wide. The piers each measure 130 by 40 feet (40 by 12 m) across at their bases (including the arched openings). They range from 100 to 125 feet (30 to 38 m) tall, with
3801-517: A plan for a tunnel between Queens and Manhattan via Blackwell's Island; he claimed that the tunnel would cost $ 1.9 million, while the bridge would cost $ 13 million. The Board of Aldermen appropriated $ 1 million for the bridge at the end of 1899. State assemblyman Edward C. Brennan proposed a bill in January 1900 to appoint commissioners for a bridge or tunnel between Manhattan and Queens. The city's Municipal Assembly initially failed to authorize
SECTION 20
#17327729039453982-966: A program aimed at creating "a 24/7, live-work, mixed-use neighborhood" in Midtown South though the conversion of commercial and office space to residential, as part of an effort to create 20,000 new residences citywide in a decade. According to The Broadway League , shows on Broadway sold approximately US$ 1.54 billion worth of tickets in both the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 seasons. Both seasons featured theater attendance of approximately 12.3 million each. Companies that used to have their headquarters in Midtown Manhattan include American Airlines , American Comics Group , American Overseas Airlines , Central Park Media , Eastern Air Lines , GoodTimes Entertainment , LJN , NewKidCo , Pan American World Airways , Philip Morris Companies (now Altria Group ), Trans Caribbean Airways , and Trans World Airlines . In 1997, Aer Lingus announced that it
4163-679: A reference branch at 476 Fifth Avenue. The four-story building, constructed in 1911, is known worldwide for its architecture and has several million items in its collections. There are also five circulating branches in Midtown: Two campuses of the City University of New York (CUNY)—the doctorate-granting CUNY Graduate Center and the Stella and Charles Guttman Community College —are located in Midtown, while Baruch College , also of
4344-504: A traffic lane in each direction between Kneeland Avenue and Union Turnpike to be used for metered parking to make the street safer. The arrangement was initially going to be piloted for eight months. Between 1993 and 2000, there were 72 pedestrian boulevards on the boulevard, with 24 in 1993 and 22 in 1997. A second phase covering the rest of the boulevard was studied from November 2001 to July 2004, and improvements were finished by late 2006. These improvements decreased pedestrian accidents on
4525-527: Is 200 feet (61 m) wide for much of its length, with shorter sections between 80 and 150 feet (24 and 46 m) wide. Its immense width, heavy automobile traffic, and thriving commercial scene has historically made it one of the most dangerous thoroughfares in New York City, with pedestrian crossings up to 300 feet (91 m) long at some places. The route of today's Queens Boulevard originally consisted of Hoffman Boulevard and Thompson Avenue, which
4706-471: Is 41% in Midtown Manhattan, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 45% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018 , Midtown Manhattan is considered to be high-income relative to the rest of the city and not gentrifying . Midtown Manhattan is patrolled by two precincts of the NYPD . Midtown North is patrolled by the 18th Precinct, located at 306 West 54th Street, while Midtown South
4887-509: Is 7,449 ft (2,270 m). The Queensboro Bridge carries New York State Route 25 (NY 25), which terminates at the bridge's western end in Manhattan. The bridge has two levels: an upper level with a pair of two-lane roadways, and a lower level with five vehicular lanes and a walkway/bike lane. The western leg of the Queensboro Bridge is flanked on its northern side by the Roosevelt Island Tramway . The Queensboro Bridge
5068-492: Is also a growing financial and fintech center. Many of New York City's skyscrapers , including its tallest hotels and apartment towers , are located in Midtown Manhattan. The neighborhood hosts commuters and residents working in its offices, hotels, and retail establishments, tourists and students. Times Square, the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway Theater District , is a major center of
5249-651: Is also growing in Midtown Manhattan based upon the city's strength in academic scientific research and public and commercial financial support. By mid-2014, Accelerator, a biotech investment firm, had raised more than US$ 30 million from investors , including Eli Lilly and Company , Pfizer , and Johnson & Johnson , for initial funding to create biotechnology startups at the Alexandria Center for Life Science, which encompasses more than 700,000 square feet (65,000 m ) on East 29th Street and promotes collaboration among scientists and entrepreneurs at
5430-483: Is also served by the following bus routes: For a few decades, streetcar service operated along the boulevard, and until 1957 operated along the sides of the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan. For the section where the line ran concurrently with the IRT Flushing Line, the streetcars ran in a median below the viaduct supporting the elevated trains. In the space of the present-day Aviation High School , there
5611-501: Is composed of box girders , while the top chord is composed of eyebars measuring 8 to 12 inches (200 to 300 mm) deep. The trusses range in height from 45 to 118 feet (14 to 36 m) between the bottom and top chords; the steel towers atop each pier measure 185 feet (56 m) tall. Unlike other large bridges, the trusses are not suspended; instead, the spans are directly connected to each other. In addition, there are transverse floor beams, which protrude 13 feet (4.0 m) from
Queens Boulevard - Misplaced Pages Continue
5792-554: Is considered to be the busiest transportation hub in the Western Hemisphere , servicing around 650,000 people per day. The Port Authority Bus Terminal , located at Eighth Avenue and 41st Street at the western edge of Midtown, is the city's main intercity bus terminal and the world's busiest bus station, serving 250,000 passengers on 7,000 buses each workday. The building opened in 1950 and had been designed to accommodate 60,000 daily passengers. A 2021 plan announced by
5973-727: Is higher than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 86% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", more than the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in Midtown Manhattan, there are 11 bodegas . The nearest major hospitals are Mount Sinai West in Hell's Kitchen ; Beth Israel Medical Center in Stuyvesant Town ; the Bellevue Hospital Center and NYU Langone Medical Center in Kips Bay ; and NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital in
6154-505: Is higher than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are adults: a plurality (45%) are between the ages of 25 and 44, while 22% are between 45 and 64, and 13% are 65 or older. The ratio of youth and college-aged residents was lower, at 7% and 12% respectively. As of 2017, the median household income in Community Districts 4 and 5 (including Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen )
6335-639: Is less clear, and variously taken to be 34th Street , 23rd Street , or even 14th Street . Midtown spans the entire island of Manhattan along an east–west axis, bounded by the East River on its east and the Hudson River to its west. The Encyclopedia of New York City defines Midtown as extending from 34th Street to 59th Street and from 3rd Avenue to 8th Avenue. In addition to its central business district , Midtown Manhattan encompasses many neighborhoods, including Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea on
6516-470: Is less than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 297 per 100,000 people is lower than that of the city as a whole. The 18th Precinct has a lower crime rate than it did in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 82.1% between 1990 and 2022. The precinct reported 1 murder, 22 rapes, 154 robberies, 185 felony assaults, 205 burglaries, 2,065 grand larcenies, and 116 grand larcenies auto in 2022. The 14th Precinct also has
6697-407: Is less than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Midtown Manhattan, 10% of residents are obese , 5% are diabetic , and 18% have high blood pressure —compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively. In addition, 9% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Ninety-one percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which
6878-496: Is located at 421 8th Avenue. The post office stopped 24-hour service in 2009 due to decreasing mail traffic. Midtown Manhattan generally has a higher rate of college-educated residents than the rest of the city as of 2018 . A majority of residents age 25 and older (78%) have a college education or higher, while 6% have less than a high school education and 17% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 64% of Manhattan residents and 43% of city residents have
7059-941: Is located in Midtown Manhattan. Haier operates its United States offices in the Haier Building at 1356 Broadway, formerly the headquarters of the Greenwich Savings Bank . Haier held the opening ceremony on March 4, 2002. Sumitomo Corporation operates its New York Office, the headquarters of the corporation's United States operations, at 600 Third Avenue, 10016 in the Murray Hill neighborhood. El Al 's North American headquarters are in Midtown. The Air France USA regional headquarters are in 125 West 55th Street in Midtown Manhattan. Hachette Book Group USA has its headquarters in 237 Park Avenue . In 1994 Alitalia considered moving its USA headquarters from Midtown to Lower Manhattan , but decided to keep
7240-630: Is one of the longest roads in Queens, and it runs through some of Queens' busiest areas. Queens Boulevard is the starting point of a number of other major streets in Queens, such as Northern Boulevard , Woodhaven Boulevard , Junction Boulevard , Roosevelt Avenue , and Main Street . Queens Boulevard has a width of 100 feet (30 m) from Queens Plaza to Van Dam Street, 200 feet (61 m) from Van Dam Street to Union Turnpike , 150 feet (46 m) from Union Turnpike to Hillside Avenue , and 80 feet (24 m) from Hillside Avenue to Jamaica Avenue. Much of
7421-1277: Is one of the world's leading financial centers. Midtown Manhattan is the one of the world's largest central business district , with 400 million square feet (37.2 million m ) of office space in 2018. Midtown contains the headquarters of major companies, including 4Kids Entertainment (formerly), Barnes & Noble , Bloomberg L.P. , Ernst & Young , Calvin Klein , Cantor Fitzgerald , CBS Corporation , Citigroup , Colgate-Palmolive , Cushman & Wakefield , DC Comics , Deloitte , Duane Reade , Estée Lauder Companies , Foot Locker , Frederator Studios , JPMorgan Chase , Hess Corporation , Kroll Inc. , L-3 Communications , Marsh & McLennan Companies , Marvel Entertainment , MetLife , MidOcean Partners , Morgan Stanley , Nasdaq, Inc. , NBCUniversal , The New York Times Company , NexCen Brands , Paramount Global , Pfizer , Polo Ralph Lauren , Saks Incorporated ( Saks Fifth Avenue ), The Sharper Image , Simon & Schuster , Six Flags , TBWA Worldwide , Thomson Reuters , Warner Bros. Discovery , Time Warner Cable , The Travelers Companies , and Univision Communications . The New York Institute of Finance
Queens Boulevard - Misplaced Pages Continue
7602-490: Is part of 10001. Other areas between 14th and 34th Streets are covered by ZIP Codes 10003, 10009, 10010, and 10011, though these are generally not considered to be part of Midtown proper. There are also thirty-three ZIP Codes assigned to individual buildings or building complexes. The United States Postal Service operates six post offices in Midtown: The James A. Farley Station , the city's main post office,
7783-430: Is patrolled by the 14th Precinct, located at 357 West 35th Street. The precincts ranked 69th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. The high per-capita crime rate can be attributed to the low population of the area, as well as the high number of crimes committed against tourists. As of 2018 , with a non-fatal assault rate of 25 per 100,000 people, Midtown Manhattan's rate of violent crimes per capita
7964-625: Is the northernmost of four toll-free vehicular bridges connecting Manhattan Island to Long Island , along with the Williamsburg , Manhattan , and Brooklyn bridges to the south. It lies along the courses of the New York City Marathon and the Five Boro Bike Tour . Serious proposals for a bridge linking Manhattan to Long Island City were first made as early as 1838, but various 19th-century plans to erect such
8145-409: Is used as a westbound high-occupancy vehicle lane during morning rush hours, when all eastbound traffic uses the lower level. The lower level is 86 feet (26 m) wide and is divided into three sections: a northern, central, and southern roadway. The center roadway is 56 feet (17 m) wide and was originally composed of a 36-foot-wide (11 m) general-purpose road in the middle, flanked by
8326-501: The 1964 New York World's Fair for $ 17.1 million. Due to bureaucratic issues and the need to finance the project using city funds, the project was delayed and cut back to a 2.5 mile section for $ 2.6 million. Underpasses at Union Turnpike and at Grand Avenue—Broadway were dropped from the plan. On September 3, 1964, the Department of Highways announced that the project was far behind the project's original schedule. Only $ 2.6 million for
8507-603: The East River to be named after a New York City borough , after the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge . By the late 20th century, the Queensboro Bridge was also known as the 59th Street Bridge because its Manhattan end is located between 59th and 60th streets. This name caused controversy among Queens residents who felt that the 59th Street Bridge name did not honor the borough of Queens. In December 2010, mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that
8688-657: The Forth Bridge in Scotland. The upper level is 67 feet (20 m) wide. The upper level originally contained two pedestrian walkways and two elevated railway tracks, which connected a spur of the IRT Second Avenue elevated line in Manhattan to the Queensboro Plaza station in Queens. There were also provisions for two additional tracks between the trusses (taking up the space occupied by
8869-526: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2023; it is expected to be renovated for $ 23.75 million between late 2024 and 2027. The combination of Queens Boulevard's immense width, heavy automobile traffic, and thriving commercial scene made it the most dangerous thoroughfare in New York City by the 1990s, and has earned it citywide notoriety and morbid nicknames such as "The Boulevard of Death" and "The Boulevard of Broken Bones". During
9050-651: The Ladies' Mile , along Fifth Avenue from 14th to 23rd Street; and the Tenderloin , from 23rd to 42nd Street and from Fifth Avenue to Seventh Avenue . Important streets and thoroughfares The border of Midtown Manhattan is nebulous and further confused by the fact that the term "Midtown Manhattan" can be used to refer either to a district or a group of neighborhoods and districts in Manhattan: Midtown Manhattan, along with Lower Manhattan ,
9231-533: The Long Island City neighborhood in the borough of Queens with the East Midtown and Upper East Side neighborhoods in Manhattan , passing over Roosevelt Island . Because the western end of the bridge connects to 59th Street in Manhattan, it is also called the 59th Street Bridge . The bridge consists of five steel spans measuring 3,725 ft (1,135 m) long; including approaches, its total length
SECTION 50
#17327729039459412-575: The New York City Fire Department (FDNY): The greater Midtown area between 14th Street and 59th Street contains seven additional fire stations. As of 2018 , preterm births and births to teenage mothers in Midtown Manhattan are lower than the city average. In Midtown Manhattan, there were 67 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 4 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Midtown Manhattan has
9593-493: The New York City Marathon course since 1976 , when the marathon course traversed all five boroughs for the first time. During the marathon, which happens every November, runners cross the Queensboro Bridge westbound toward Manhattan, then pass under the bridge at First Avenue. The bridge is approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the beginning of the course on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge . The deck of
9774-672: The New York State Department of Transportation broke ground on the first phase of a reconstruction of the Kew Gardens Interchange , involved in the project was the renovation of a nearby viaduct carrying Queens Boulevard over the Van Wyck Expressway and the nearby Briarwood subway station ( E , F , and <F> trains). In 2011, safety enhancements, including pedestrian countdown signals, were added. That year
9955-560: The Upper East Side . Midtown Manhattan is located within six primary ZIP Codes . West of Fifth Avenue, Midtown is located in 10018 between 34th and 41st Streets, 10036 between 41st and 48th Streets, and 10019 between 48th and 59th Streets. East of Fifth Avenue, Midtown is located in 10016 between 34th and 40th Streets, 10017 between 40th and 49th Streets, and 10022 between 49th and 59th Streets. The area southwest of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street, sometimes considered to be in Midtown,
10136-666: The Waldorf Astoria New York , which became the most expensive hotel ever sold after being purchased by the Anbang Insurance Group, based in China, for US$ 1.95 billion . In the same year, six of the top ten most expensive zip codes in the United States by median housing price were located in Manhattan, underscoring the borough's dominant position in the real estate market. When 450 Park Avenue
10317-463: The headquarters of the United Nations , Grand Central Terminal , and Rockefeller Center , as well as several prominent tourist destinations, including Broadway , Times Square , and Koreatown . Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan is the busiest transportation hub in the Western Hemisphere . Midtown Manhattan is the largest central business district in the world, and has been ranked as
10498-488: The 1890s, Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) president Austin Corbin had merged Rainey's plan and a competing plan. Rainey resubmitted plans for the bridge in early 1890. The state legislature gave Rainey a charter for the Blackwell's Island Bridge in mid-1892. Corbin received an option to buy out Rainey's charter, and a groundbreaking ceremony for the bridge was held at 64th Street in Manhattan on August 19, 1894. The span
10679-474: The Blackwell's Island Bridge, as well as the Williamsburg Bridge between Manhattan and Brooklyn, at the end of 1898. In early 1899, R. S. Buck published plans for an asymmetrical cantilever bridge connecting Queens with Manhattan; the early plans called for a utilitarian design. The New York City Bridge Department's chief engineer finalized plans for the bridge in October 1899. Coler drew up
10860-564: The Board of Aldermen voted to officially rename it the Blackwell's Island Bridge in March 1902. R. S. Buck and his assistants were directed to prepare plans for the sites of the bridge's piers, anchorages, and foundations . The Department of Bridges received bids for the foundations in June 1901, with Ryan & Parker as the low bidder. Groundbreaking took place that September. After Seth Low
11041-546: The Boulevard in areas without crosswalks since there are long stretches between intersections. Some of the most dangerous crossings of Queens Boulevard are near Roosevelt Avenue , 51st Avenue, Grand Avenue , Woodhaven Boulevard , Yellowstone Boulevard, 71st Avenue, and Union Turnpike ; all of these streets either have high vehicular traffic or cross the boulevard diagonally. Pedestrian crossings of Queens Boulevard can be up to 300 feet (91 m) long, or one-and-a-half times
SECTION 60
#173277290394511222-555: The Brooklyn Bridge, proposed suspension bridges at the site in 1847 and 1856. An attempt to finance a fixed East River crossing was made in 1867 by wealthy Long Island City residents, who established the New-York and Long Island Bridge Company to erect the crossing. This group was led by Thomas Rainey, a doctor from Astoria. The crossing would have connected 77th Street in Manhattan and 34th Avenue in Queens, passing over
11403-482: The Cinematheque never opened due to a lack of money. A developer proposed the open-air Bridgemarket under the bridge in 1976, which local residents significantly opposed, and Bridgemarket was not approved until 1996. Bridgemarket, covering 98,000 square feet (9,100 m ), opened in 1999 at a cost of $ 24 million. The store operated until the end of 2015. In February 2020, it was announced that Trader Joe's
11584-693: The City University of New York, is located in Midtown South. Mercy College is situated at Herald Square . Pennsylvania Station and Grand Central Terminal are the two major railroad stations located in Midtown Manhattan. Penn Station serves Amtrak , NJ Transit , and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), while Grand Central serves the Metro-North Railroad and also serves the LIRR at Grand Central Madison . Penn Station
11765-498: The East River's channels are composed of cantilever arms, which extend outward from the towers on either side of the channel. Each pair of cantilever arms meets at a set of bents above the middle of each channel. The bents allowed the cantilever arms to move horizontally due to temperature changes, and it allowed structural loads to be distributed between the two arms. The bridge uses nickel-steel bars that were intended to be 40 to 50 percent stronger than regular structural-steel bars of
11946-482: The Grand Concourse. Westbound traffic would be favored from 7 to 9 a.m., while eastbound traffic would be favored from 5 to 7 p.m.. The Boulevard handled 73,000 cars on an average weekday, with a peak of 7,600 cars an hour towards Manhattan, and a peak of 6,700 to points east. In 1960, Queens borough president John T. Clancy proposed reconstructing the entire seven-mile boulevard to meet traffic demand from
12127-428: The Manhattan and Queens ends, are about 500 feet (150 m) inland of the shore. Each anchorage was built with spiral staircases and elevators. The anchorage in Manhattan is between First Avenue and York Avenue , while the Queens anchorage is near Vernon Boulevard. The anchorages are topped by small rooms with arched openings. The approaches on both sides of the bridge are composed of stiffened steel frames, but
12308-481: The Manhattan approach is the only one that is ornately decorated. The Queens approach consists of a series of elevated concrete-and-steel ramps, which were never formally decorated. The Manhattan approach to the bridge is supported on a series of Guastavino tile vaults. The vaults are composed of three layers of tiles, which support themselves and measure 4 inches (100 mm) thick in total. A layer of glazing and small lights were installed in 1918. The space under
12489-426: The Manhattan approach measures 120 by 270 feet (37 by 82 m) across. It is divided into a series of tiled vaults measuring 30 by 30 feet (9.1 by 9.1 m) across. As the bridge ascends to the east, the floor slopes down and the ceiling slopes up; as such, the ceiling measures 60 feet (18 m) high at its highest point. The Guastavino tiles cover the steel superstructure of the approach ramp. Originally,
12670-423: The Manhattan approach, and the city's parking authority contemplated erecting a parking garage west of the bridge's Manhattan terminus the same year. Another proposal to toll the bridge was rejected as overly expensive. Public Works commissioner Frederick H. Zurmuhlen announced that October that his office was preparing plans for the northern upper roadway, and he petitioned the city government for $ 6.5 million for
12851-492: The NYCDOT and engineering changes, deaths fell from 17 in 1993 and 18 in 1997 to 4 in 2001; nonfatal accidents were reduced from 2,937 in 1993 to 1,627 in 2001. New fences in the median led most pedestrians to use crosswalks. The number of camera on poles to catch drivers running red lights increase from four to two, and the NYCDOT planned to mount dozens of fake cameras to keep drivers guessing in 2002. The NYCDOT had resisted making
13032-626: The Port Authority would spend $ 10 billion to expand capacity and modernize the facility. The New York City Subway and MTA Regional Bus Operations each operate several routes that go through Midtown. Additionally, the PATH train to New Jersey terminates at 33rd Street and Sixth Avenue in Midtown. Traffic congestion is common, especially for crosstown traffic. In 2011, a new system of traffic light control, known as "Midtown in Motion"
13213-456: The Queens approach. The final plans called for the Queens approach to end at Crescent Street; a new boulevard, Queens Plaza , would connect the approach to Jackson Avenue and Queens Boulevard . All of the piers were finished by May 1904, and city officials inspected the bridge's piers that July. The Pennsylvania Steel Company submitted a bid to construct the bridge's superstructure for $ 5.3 million in September 1903; Lindenthal rejected
13394-451: The Queens side of the bridge was very close to the ground, so work on the piers in Queens was able to proceed more rapidly than work on the other piers. The Board of Estimate appropriated an additional $ 3.86 million for the bridge's construction in July 1903. Low rejected a plan for widening 59th Street to serve as the bridge's Manhattan approach, and Queens residents disagreed over plans for
13575-574: The Queensboro Bridge opened, the city government conducted a study and found that it had no authority to charge tolls on the Queensboro and Manhattan bridges. Tolls on the Queensboro Bridge, as well as the Williamsburg, Manhattan, and Brooklyn bridges to the south, were abolished in July 1911 as part of a populist policy initiative headed by New York City mayor William Jay Gaynor . A bridge approach between Second and Third avenues in Manhattan
13756-453: The Queensboro Bridge years after the renaming. New York City Council member Peter Vallone Jr. of Queens proposed removing Koch's name from the bridge in 2013. The Queensboro Bridge is a two-level double cantilever bridge , with separate cantilevered spans over channels on each side of Roosevelt Island joined by a fixed central truss. In all, it has five steel truss spans, as well as approach viaducts on either side. The total length of
13937-582: The Queensboro Bridge, two ferries connected modern-day Manhattan and Queens, neither of which were near the modern-day bridge. One such ferry connected Borden Avenue in Hunters Point, Queens , to 34th Street in Kips Bay, Manhattan , while the other ferry connected Astoria Boulevard in Astoria, Queens , with 92nd Street on Manhattan's Upper East Side . Benjamin Henry Latrobe first proposed
14118-477: The Queens–Midtown Tunnel opened in 1940, The New York Times predicted it would relieve congestion on the Queensboro Bridge. The Manhattan approach viaduct was repaired in 1920, and city officials began adding a concrete pavement to the bridge in mid-1924. Engineers determined at the time that a hard-surfaced roadway would be too heavy for the bridge. Queens borough president Maurice E. Connolly said
14299-669: The United Nations, and consulates-general accredited to the United States, in Midtown Manhattan. In addition, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office of the Republic of China ( Taiwan ) is in Midtown Manhattan. Queensboro Bridge The Queensboro Bridge , officially the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge , is a cantilever bridge over the East River in New York City . Completed in 1909, it connects
14480-433: The United States achieved completion in Midtown Manhattan, at a selling price of US$ 238 million, for a 24,000 square feet (2,200 m ) penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park at 220 Central Park South . The COVID-19 pandemic and hybrid work models have prompted consideration of commercial-to-residential conversion within the neighborhood's real estate sector. In August 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced
14661-666: The West Side, and Murray Hill , Kips Bay , Turtle Bay , and Gramercy Park on the East Side. It is sometimes broken into "Midtown East" and "Midtown West", or north and south as in the New York City Police Department 's Midtown North and Midtown South precincts. Neighborhoods in the Midtown area include the following: Midtown is the original district in the United States to bear the name and included historical but now defunct neighborhoods such as
14842-485: The approach viaducts were completed on August 17. The city refused to pay Pennsylvania Steel until 1912, when a judge forced them to do so. Businessmen proposed renaming the crossing as the Queensboro Bridge in September 1908, saying the Blackwell Island name was too closely associated with the island's hospitals and asylums. Despite several Irish-American groups' objections that the Queensboro name resembled
15023-463: The bid, suspecting that the company was engaging in collusion. The city requested further bids for the superstructure the next month, but an injunction prevented Lindenthal from awarding a steel contract. The Pennsylvania Steel Company received the steel contract that November, and the Art Commission approved plans for the bridge's spires the same month. Just before Lindenthal left office,
15204-456: The boulevard by 68%, most notably at large and dangerous intersections. In 2004, one pedestrian was killed crossing Queens Boulevard. On April 5, 2004, city officials announced new measures to improve safety on the boulevard. These included additional fences to deter jaywalking, modifications to improve traffic flow and safety, longer crossing times for pedestrians, and the elimination of U-turns and left turns in some locations. On August 18, 2010,
15385-409: The bridge in the 1930s, though local groups widely opposed these plans. In 1934, westbound motorists began using the upper southern roadway during weekday mornings, Sundays, and holiday evenings; the upper roadway continued to carry eastbound traffic at all other times. To reduce congestion, traffic agents began controlling traffic at each end of the bridge in July 1935, and lane control lights for
15566-484: The bridge included a ferry from Manhattan to Queens; larger signs pointing to existing ferries; a parallel bridge; and a parallel tunnel (later the Queens–Midtown Tunnel ). Traffic on the bridge more than doubled from 1924 to 1932, though the opening of new vehicular crossings caused congestion to increase less rapidly after 1932. By the mid-1930s, the bridge handled an average of 110,000 vehicles daily. When
15747-472: The bridge was initially covered with carpeting for the 1976 marathon; the carpeting was not used after 1977 , when the bridge was repaved. The bridge is also part of the course of the Five Boro Bike Tour , which occurs every April; contestants traverse the bridge eastbound toward Queens. As of 2022 , the Five Boro Bike Tour uses the northern upper-level roadway. Prior to the construction of
15928-472: The bridge was similar to the collapsed Quebec Bridge , and the plans had been modified after the contract for the superstructure had been awarded. That June, the Board of Estimate authorized $ 30,000 for two investigations into the bridge's safety. The Pennsylvania Steel Company formally completed the superstructure on June 16, 1908, eighteen months behind schedule. The Department of Bridges began receiving bids that July for paving and electrical equipment, and
16109-421: The bridge were first turned on March 28, and the bridge opened to the public two days later on March 30, 1909. The upper deck's tracks were not in service because engineers had deemed them unsafe for use. The Queensboro Bridge formally opened as scheduled on June 12, 1909; at the time, it was the fourth-longest bridge in the world. The grand opening included a fireworks display, a parade lasting several hours,
16290-493: The bridge were riveted together on March 13, 1908, and the Blackwell's Island and Queens sections were linked on March 18. The Board of Aldermen appropriated another $ 1.2 million for the bridge's completion shortly afterward; the project had cost $ 6.2 million up to that point. The New York City Department of Finance 's chief engineer began investigating the bridge in May 1908 in response to concerns over its structural integrity, as
16471-429: The bridge would be renamed in honor of former mayor Ed Koch; the bridge had been renovated extensively in the 1980s, when he was mayor. The Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge name was formalized on March 23, 2011. The renaming was unpopular among Queens residents and business leaders; The Los Angeles Times wrote that Queens residents found the renaming disrespectful to their borough. The general public continued to call it
16652-559: The bridge's completion. In October, a special committee recommended that Lindenthal's plans be rejected, saying that it would cost the city more if construction were halted and that two other East River bridges were also about 120 feet wide. City comptroller Edward M. Grout , meanwhile, wanted workers to divert their efforts to the Manhattan Bridge. Low appointed a group of engineering experts that November to review Lindenthal's revised plans. The experts concluded that neither
16833-433: The bridge's construction due to opposition from Tammany Hall politicians. The bridge was approved that November; the bridge was relocated southward so its Manhattan end was near 60th Street. The United States Department of War , which had to certify the plans for the bridge before any work could begin, approved the span's construction in February 1901. Initially, the crossing was referred to as East River Bridge No. 4;
17014-517: The bridge's decks was completed in January 1909. In total, the crossing had cost about $ 20 million, including $ 12.6 million for spans and over $ 5 million for land acquisition. One newspaper had estimated that 55 workers had been killed during construction. In February 1909, the Celebration Committee set June 12 as the bridge's official opening date, and two grand parades were planned for the bridge's official opening. The lights on
17195-498: The bridge's footpaths; the proposal also called for new approaches at either end and relocation of the elevated tracks. The Merchants Association and the Fifth Avenue Association endorsed this plan. The Board of Estimate allocated $ 150,000 for improvements to the bridge in April 1927, and the board approved the $ 3 million plan that June. The project was delayed due to difficulties in acquiring property, and
17376-410: The bridge. The Pennsylvania Steel Company was obligated to complete the superstructure by the beginning of 1907, and it submitted drawings for the construction of the superstructure in mid-1904. Later that year, Best postponed construction of the bridge's elevators and power houses, and the city authorized another $ 400,000 for the bridge's construction. Local merchants protested the postponement of
17557-431: The bridges. Above the piers rise the bridge's towers, which contain domed decorations and Art Nouveau -inspired spires. The towers extend 185 feet (56 m) above the bridge's lower chords. The tops of the towers are made of 225 granite blocks, which were part of the original design but not added until 1937. The spires were removed at some point in the 20th century after deteriorating. The two anchorages, one each at
17738-401: The cantilever arms from each tower toward the center of the river. As such, the bridge was essentially built in three sections in Manhattan, Blackwell's Island, and Queens. By early 1907, the cost of acquiring land for the approaches had increased to $ 6 million, double the original estimate, and the cost of the entire bridge had increased to as much as $ 18 million. Snare & Triest submitted
17919-469: The causes of fatalities and injuries on the boulevard. The changing of traffic signals to increase crossing times across the boulevard helped reduce the average pedestrian deaths in a section in Forest Hills and Rego Park from 4 each year from 1980 and 1984 to 1 in 1986. In four of the five years between 1988 and 1992, as many people were killed in car accidents on the boulevard as on any other street in
18100-401: The center and with nearby academic, medical, and research institutions. The New York City Economic Development Corporation 's Early Stage Life Sciences Funding Initiative and venture capital partners, including Celgene , General Electric Ventures, and Eli Lilly, committed a minimum of US$ 100 million to help launch 15 to 20 ventures in life sciences and biotechnology. Real estate is
18281-513: The center of Blackwell's Island. The New-York and Long Island Bridge Company appointed commissioners for the proposed bridge in 1875 and hosted an architectural design competition for the bridge in 1876. A cantilever design by Charles Macdonald and the Delaware Bridge Company was selected in early 1877, but no action had been taken by 1878, a year after the plans were approved. Media sources reported in May 1881 that work
18462-406: The center of the thoroughfare, and to allow pedestrians to pass over the construction, temporary bridges were built. The improvement was between Van Dam Street and Hillside Avenue , and it cost $ 2.23 million. The street was widened to 200 feet (61 m) between Van Dam Street and Union Turnpike , and from there to Hillside Avenue it was widened to 150 feet (46 m). As part of the project, there
18643-467: The center. Each lamppost had five tiers of decorations, and the sides of each lamppost were inscribed with the names of four of the city's five boroughs. The lampposts were both removed in 1974 when the Roosevelt Island Tramway was developed, but the 59th Street lamppost was restored two years later. Parts of the other lamppost were found in a Queens warehouse in 2012 and rededicated on Roosevelt Island in 2015. The Queensboro Bridge has been part of
18824-406: The central section of the project was approved as rebuilding more than a mile of the road a time was deemed to be too disruptive for travel. At the time, the rebuilding of the first 1-mile section from 70th Avenue to Union Turnpike was completed. The six service road lanes were resurfaced, yellow asphalt surfacing was installed to guide drivers turning at intersections, and malls were narrowed to widen
19005-672: The city commissioned a study of the 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of roadway between the Long Island Expressway and Union Turnpike. The study was completed by 1999, and most work was finished by July 2001. As part of the improvement process, the city installed new curb- and median-extensions along the corridor; repainted crosswalks so they were more visible; added fences in the medians; closed several "slips" that allowed vehicles to make high-speed turns; posted large signs proclaiming that "A Pedestrian Was Killed Crossing Here" at intersections where fatal accidents have occurred; and reduced
19186-440: The city controller's office contemplated abandoning plans for the new approaches. In late 1928, the Board of Estimate allowed construction to commence on both the new lanes and the approach viaducts at either end. To reduce congestion, the Manhattan ends of the upper and lower roadways were 700 feet (210 m) apart, while the Queens ends of these roadways were about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) apart. Real-estate developers supported
19367-513: The city received bids for four elevator towers and two powerhouses for the bridge at the end of 1903; the powerhouses were to supply the elevators. These elevators were to be positioned within the ends of the piers, which would make it impossible to widen the piers at a later date. City corrections commissioner Francis J. Lantry opposed the elevators because they would allow prisoners on Blackwell's Island to escape. In early 1904, Lindenthal's successor George Best canceled plans for ornamentation on
19548-553: The city. Between 1991 and 1992, new speed limit signs were installed on the boulevard, police enforcement of traffic light and speeding violations was increased, and the timing for street lights was adjusted. In 1992, in a test lasting a month, one camera on the boulevard recorded over 1,000 red-light and speeding violations. In 1993, the NYCDOT planned on installing 15 video cameras across the city that spring, with at least one installed on Queens Boulevard, to monitor and report drivers who run red lights or speed. Summonses would be sent to
19729-411: The citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 92% of high school students in Midtown Manhattan graduate on time, more than the citywide average of 75%. There are no public elementary or middle schools in Midtown. The New York City Department of Education operates the following public high schools in Midtown, serving grades 9–12: Private schools include The Beekman School , Rebecca School , and
19910-495: The community boards surrounding Queens Boulevard because parking spots were removed to make way for the bike lanes. Starting in 2019, the whole boulevard was to have been totally overhauled in a manner similar to the Grand Concourse's capital reconstruction. Partially as a result of these safety improvements, there were no pedestrian deaths on Queens Boulevard between 2014 and 2017. The first segment to be overhauled, between Roosevelt Avenue and 73rd Street, received federal funding from
20091-477: The construction of the northern upper roadway and approach ramps. With the opening of the Welfare Island Bridge that year, the city shuttered the trolley lanes, mid-bridge station, and stairs to Roosevelt Island, and it also planned to close down the bridge's elevators. The last trolley traversed the bridge in April 1957, and the elevators and stairs on the Queens side of the bridge were closed
20272-431: The densest central business district in the world in terms of employees, at 606,108 per square mile (234,020/km ). Midtown also ranks among the world's most expensive locations for real estate; Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan has commanded the world's highest retail rents and is the most expensive shopping street in the world. Midtown Manhattan is the country's largest commercial, entertainment , and media center, and
20453-405: The early 1930s and the late 1950s. Designated as a New York City landmark in 1973, the bridge was renovated extensively from the late 1970s to the 1990s. The bridge was officially renamed in 2011 in honor of former New York City mayor Ed Koch , and another renovation occurred in the early 2020s. The Queensboro Bridge was originally named for the borough of Queens and was the third bridge across
20634-410: The early 1930s, while Manhattan's borough president Samuel Levy proposed building an underpass to carry traffic on Second Avenue beneath the Manhattan end of the bridge. Precipitation had begun to corrode the bridge's steel supports, as the masonry work had never been completed; this prompted a grand jury investigation into the bridge's safety in 1934. There were also proposals to charge tolls on
20815-467: The eastern end of the bridge were blown into the river during a heavy windstorm. The same month, Maryland Steel Company submitted a low bid of $ 758,000 for a steel-and-masonry approach in Queens. Several buildings in Long Island City, including rowhouses and an old homestead, were demolished for the Queens approach. The easternmost steel span was well underway by the end of 1907, and work on
20996-499: The elevators, saying it would not save money. Before work on the superstructure began, workers erected seventeen temporary 135-foot-tall (41 m) bents between the two piers on Blackwell's Island. When the bents were almost complete, ironworkers organized a sympathetic strike in June 1905, in solidarity with striking workers at the Pennsylvania Steel Company's Harrisburg factory. The work stoppage lasted
21177-493: The end of the year. Phase 2 between 74th Street and Eliot Avenue began in summer 2016. Phase 3 was split into two projects: between Eliot Avenue and Yellowstone Boulevard, and between Yellowstone Boulevard and Union Turnpike. The segment of the Phase 3 overhaul between Eliot and Yellowstone started in May 2017, while the segment between Yellowstone and Union Turnpike would start in July 2018. The project gained opposition from some of
21358-522: The express lanes, but only at select cross-streets. The express lanes use a 60-foot-wide (18 m) underpass (separated by a median) to bypass Woodhaven Boulevard and Horace Harding Expressway; the service roads provide access to both streets. Due to the high number of crashes, Queens Boulevard is known as the Boulevard of Death. More crashes happen along Queens Boulevard than any other roadway statewide. The route of today's Queens Boulevard originally consisted of Hoffman Boulevard and Thompson Avenue, which
21539-509: The five spans, between the anchorages on the Manhattan and Queens sides, are approximately 3,725 ft (1,135 m), of which 2,166 feet (660 m) are above water. In addition, there is a 1,052-foot-long (321 m) approach viaduct in Manhattan and a 2,588-foot-long (789 m) approach viaduct in Queens, connecting the anchorages on either side to street level. This brings the bridge's total length to 7,449 feet (2,270 m). The bridge carries New York State Route 25 , which ends at
21720-674: The late 1930s, NY 25 was aligned to follow Queens Boulevard (NY 24) from Skillman Avenue to Horace Harding Boulevard, where NY 25 turned eastward to follow Horace Harding Boulevard back to its original alignment at Corona Avenue. In 1941, the New York City Planning Department proposed converting Queens Boulevard into a freeway , as was done with the Van Wyck Expressway , from the Queensboro Bridge to Hillside Avenue. The boulevard would be converted to an expressway with grade separation at
21901-489: The length of a city block in Manhattan. As such, the Boulevard is hard to cross in one traffic light. Queens Boulevard hosts one of the highest numbers of New York City Subway services in the city. It is served by the following subway lines: Both use stretches of the right of way; only Broadway (nine services), Sixth Avenue (seven) in Manhattan and Fulton Street (eight) in Brooklyn carry more at any one time. It
22082-430: The lower level and replace the existing roadway with a pair of 26-foot-wide (7.9 m) roadways on the upper and lower levels. The upper roadway would have connected to Van Alst Avenue (21st Street) in Queens; one company proposed constructing the deck in 18 months. The subway plans were ultimately dropped in favor of the 60th Street Tunnel . In early 1916, the New York City government allocated $ 144,000 for repairs to
22263-399: The lower level that April. City officials also contemplated adding an asphalt -plank pavement to the bridge. Works Progress Administration (WPA) laborers began repaving the lower level in March 1936; The city government also planned to add lane markings to the lower roadway and convert the upper roadway permanently into a one-way road. After delays caused by material and labor shortages,
22444-422: The lower level's reversible lanes were installed later the same year. The bridge's wooden pavement also posed a hazard during rainy weather and made the bridge one of the city's most dangerous roadways by the mid-1930s. This prompted local groups to call for the installation of a non-skid pavement. Workers repaved the upper level in early 1935 and began installing an experimental concrete-and-steel pavement on
22625-447: The lower-level trolley tracks into vehicular lanes in exchange for permission to install power cables under the bridge. Consolidated Edison spent $ 4 million in 1960 to install power cables, convert the trolley tracks, and construct slip roads between the lower-level roadways. The new lanes, on the northern and southern sides of the bridge, opened on September 15, 1960. The same year, Manhattan borough president Louis A. Cioffi proposed
22806-487: The modified plans to the Municipal Art Society for approval but withdrew them that July, and he also allowed Ryan & Parker to continue constructing the piers. Lindenthal decided to significantly modify his plans. Queens residents strongly protested any design changes, and Lindenthal finally agreed not to change the bridge's width. By mid-1902, Lindenthal was requesting an additional $ 3.78 million for
22987-475: The more important intersections, and by closing off access from minor streets. As part of the project, the express lanes of Queens Boulevard were depressed in the area of Woodhaven Boulevard and Horace Harding Boulevard (later turned into the Long Island Expressway), while the local lanes were kept at grade level. The plan to upgrade the boulevard was delayed with the onset of World War II , and
23168-510: The neighborhood was 64.1% (18,351) White , 4.6% (1,310) African American , 0.1% (34) Native American , 20.8% (5,942) Asian , 0% (8) Pacific Islander , 0.3% (92) from other races , and 2% (569) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 8.1% (2,324) of the population. The entirety of Community District 5, which comprises Midtown Manhattan, had 53,120 inhabitants as of NYC Health 's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 84.8 years. This
23349-499: The new Queensboro Bridge to central Queens, thereby offering an easy outlet from Manhattan. In 1913, a trolley line was constructed from 59th Street in Manhattan east along the new boulevard. During the 1920s and 1930s the boulevard was widened in conjunction with the digging of the IND Queens Boulevard Line subway tunnels. The new subway line used cut-and-cover construction and trenches had to be dug up in
23530-481: The new roadway. By the next year, plans for the roadway and its Manhattan approach were complete, and workers were demolishing buildings to make way for the roadway's Manhattan approach. Zurmuhlen requested $ 8.2 million from the city in 1953 for the construction of the roadway; in exchange, he dropped plans for a bus terminal at the Manhattan end of the bridge. The bridge's approaches were repaved in 1954. The Board of Estimate allocated $ 7.7 million in June 1955 for
23711-720: The offices where they were at the last minute. Global Infrastructure Partners has an office in Midtown Manhattan. Silicon Alley , the common metonym for New York City's high tech sector, is based in Midtown South , specifically the Flatiron District . Prominent Silicon Alley companies in Midtown include AppNexus , Blue Apron , Gilt , Betterment , Oscar , SoFi , Rent the Runway , Warby Parker , and WeWork . The technology sector has been expanding across Midtown Manhattan since 2010. The biotechnology sector
23892-446: The original proposal nor Lindenthal's revision were sufficient and suggested that the bridge instead be 91 feet (28 m) wide. The approaches retained their original 120-foot width, as did the piers themselves. Henry Hornbostel was directed in early 1903 to prepare drawings of the bridge's towers and roadway, though no architectural contract had been awarded yet. By mid-1903, the piers were two-thirds completed. The bedrock under
24073-476: The owner of the car observed making the traffic infractions. The DOT also planned on installing barriers in the center median separating eastbound and westbound traffic in a section of Forest Hills to discourage people from crossing the street outside of intersections. The DOT had studied installing pedestrian bridges over Queens Boulevard, in addition to Eastern Parkway and Grand Concourse, but had found that it would have been too expensive to do so. In January 1997,
24254-642: The period 1950–2000, over 27,000 people were injured on Queens Boulevard. From 2002–04 there were 393 injuries and eight deaths. Queens Boulevard became known as the Boulevard of Death . New York Newsday and the New York Daily News got into a circulation war on the issue of the Boulevard of Death , and the DOT was under pressure to take action. Weinshall implemented pedestrian improvements on Queens Boulevard, including longer pedestrian crossing times,
24435-624: The piers on Roosevelt Island being the tallest. The foundations of the Roosevelt Island piers are shallow, since there is bedrock just below the surface of the island. By comparison, the piers in Manhattan and Queens extend over 50 feet (15 m) deep. The piers are faced with Maine granite and are attached to a backing made of concrete and Mohawk Valley limestone. In total, workers used 14,000 cubic yards (11,000 m ) of limestone, 17,000 cubic yards (13,000 m ) of concrete, and 22,800 cubic yards (17,400 m ) of granite to build
24616-401: The plaza and road later the same year. Miller revised his plans in 1925, calling for a tunnel under Second Avenue and a new street east of the avenue between 57th and 63rd streets. To alleviate congestion, one of the bridge's lanes was used as a reversible lane during peak hours. In late 1926, Plant and Structure commissioner Albert Goldman proposed adding three vehicular lanes and removing
24797-478: The project because it would encourage real-estate and business activity in Queens. Fire extinguishers and chemical carts, for fighting small fires, were also installed on the bridge in 1928. Goldman publicized his plans for the southern upper roadway in April 1929, and the T. H. Reynolds Company had been hired to move the elevated tracks by the next month. The Bersin Construction Company received
24978-549: The reduced width, a 45-foot-wide (14 m) upper deck would be built. By January 1902, only $ 42,000 had been spent on the project. In June 1902, a subcommittee of the New York City Board of Estimate requested another $ 5 million for construction. The same month, Lindenthal ordered Ryan & Parker to stop working on the bridge, but the firm refused to comply with his order, saying they would lose large amounts of money if work were halted. Lindenthal submitted
25159-510: The repaving of the lower level was completed in June 1937. WPA laborers also completed the tops of the bridge's towers. WPA workers began rebuilding the upper level pavement in July 1938, and the upper roadway closed that October, reopening two months later. By 1942, the city government was planning to shutter and dismantle the Second Avenue Elevated tracks across the Queensboro Bridge; the line closed in June 1942, and it
25340-419: The road has 12 lanes, and at its intersection with Yellowstone Boulevard in Forest Hills, it reaches a high point of 16 lanes. Along much of its length (between Roosevelt Avenue and Union Turnpike), the road includes six express lanes (three in each direction) and a three-lane-wide service road on each side. Drivers must first exit to the service road to make right turns or pull over. Left turns must be made from
25521-400: The roadway and provide space for cars turning off the six-lane main roadway. Work on the 63rd Drive to 70th Avenue section was 70 percent complete, and the Department of Highways expected to request the release of $ 400,000 for the section to Woodhaven Boulevard within two weeks. Work on that section was expected to start in 1965. Queens Boulevard handled more than 85,000 vehicles a day, making it
25702-424: The roadway, as it had never been repaved and was full of holes and ruts. A new foundation was installed to slow down the decay of the wooden pavement. Simultaneously, the city's Public Service Commission had approved the construction of connections between the bridge's upper-level tracks and the elevated lines at either end. Elevated service across the bridge commenced in July 1917, and the entire repaving project
25883-481: The same month, although the elevator in Roosevelt Island would not be demolished for 13 years. The Queens approach ramps were also rebuilt, accounting for over two-thirds of the project's cost. The Thomson Avenue ramp was completed first, followed by the ramp to 21st Street in late 1957. The northern upper roadway opened in September 1958, and the bridge was formally rededicated in April 1959 for its 50th anniversary. In 1958, Consolidated Edison proposed converting
26064-420: The same weight. The beams could withstand loads of up to 56,000 pounds (25,000 kg) each, while the nickel-steel eyebars were intended to withstand loads of up to 85,000 pounds (39,000 kg). The decks themselves were designed to carry as much as 16,000 pounds per foot (24,000 kg/m). The steel spans between the anchorages weigh a total of 52,000 short tons (46,000 long tons; 47,000 t) and have
26245-482: The second busiest roadway in the city, after the Long Island Expressway, which handled 125,000 vehicles a day. In 1969, many traffic lights on Queens and Northern Boulevards were computerized, reducing travel time by as much as 25 percent during off-peak hours, and as much as 39 percent during rush hour. In 1985, the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) started a project to examine
26426-427: The south side of the upper level but was not opened with the upper roadway. Initially, the upper deck had a wood, granite, and asphalt pavement. It contained grooves for motorists' tires, preventing them from changing lanes; after drivers complained about damaged tires, the grooves were first widened, then infilled by September. To reduce congestion, one civic group suggested a plaza at the bridge's Manhattan end in
26607-435: The span's western terminus. The lengths of the steel spans are as follows, from the westernmost span to the easternmost: The bridge was intended to carry a dead load of 32,200 pounds per foot (47,900 kg/m). Each span includes two parallel lines of trusses, one each on the north and south sides of the bridge; the centers of these trusses are spaced 60 feet (18 m) apart. The bottom chord of each set of trusses
26788-481: The speed for the boulevard a uniform 30 mph for some time, arguing that it would reduce traffic flow. The NYPD said that a uniform limit would allow them to issue more speeding tickets. In January 2001, in response to the street safety crisis on the Boulevard, the NYPD began a crackdown on jaywalking, and issued over 6,000 jaywalking summonses on the street, as of June 2001. In May 2001, the NYCDOT proposed eliminating
26969-407: The speed limit from 35 to 30 miles per hour (56 to 48 km/h); a few segments had 35 mph speed limits. Pedestrian signals were adjusted so that they were given 60 seconds to cross the boulevard, compared to 32–50 seconds before the improvements. The street gained notoriety in 2001 as "the Boulevard of Death" due to multiple pedestrian fatalities. Due to an aggressive public safety campaign by
27150-412: The speeds of westbound cars declined from 31.5 to 27.3 miles per hour (50.7 to 43.9 km/h). In 2015, a new initiative was announced to further improve Queens Boulevard at a cost of $ 100 million. The section between Roosevelt Avenue and 73rd Street received safety improvements, including pedestrian zones and bike lanes , as part of improvement's Phase 1, which began in August 2015 and was finished by
27331-418: The state legislature passed a bill in March 1900 allowing the city to take over Rainey's franchise. Although Rainey himself eventually consented to the city's takeover of his franchise, mayor Robert Anderson Van Wyck wanted to build a new bridge in a slightly different location. A New York state senator introduced legislation in early 1897 to permit the development of a bridge between Manhattan and Queens;
27512-491: The steel towers on the Manhattan and Queens waterfronts began that December. At the time, the bridge was more than 70 percent complete. Although Manhattan residents supported widening 59th Street to serve as the bridge's Manhattan approach, the city's controller was opposed. The project continued to experience labor disputes, such as in early 1908, when disgruntled workers tried to destroy the Blackwell's Island span with dynamite. The Manhattan and Blackwell's Island sections of
27693-436: The street, or an average of 10 per year. Eighteen pedestrians were killed while crossing the boulevard just in 1997. Between 1990 and 2017, it was estimated that 186 people, including 138 pedestrians, died in collisions along Queens Boulevard. The street's design with straight wide lanes has encouraged drivers to drive as if they were on a highway, leading drivers to travel well above the speed limit. In addition, many people cross
27874-588: The strike, and the Pennsylvania Steel Company had replaced the striking workers by that May. The strike delayed construction by four months. City officials condemned a 250-foot-wide (76 m) strip of land for the Queens approach viaduct in October 1906. The city's Bridge Commission received bids for the construction of a steel approach viaduct in Queens in December 1906, and the Buckley Realty Construction Company submitted
28055-407: The trusses on either side of the deck. Atop the bridge's topmost chords were originally galvanized steel ropes, which acted as handrails for bridge painters. Five hand-operated scaffolds were also placed on the bridge. The spans are cantilevered from steel towers that rise above four central piers . Each cantilevered section measures 808 to 1,061 feet (246 to 323 m) long. The two spans above
28236-500: The unified city government was to pay for the bridge. At a meeting in Long Island City in February 1898, a group of men from both boroughs were appointed to consider plans for the bridge. By late 1898, Queens residents were threatening to not vote for the Democratic Party (of which Van Wyck was part) if the construction of the bridge did not begin shortly. The city allocated $ 100,000 for preliminary surveys and borings for
28417-425: The vaults were intended as storage space. From the bridge's 1909 opening, the space under the Manhattan approach was used as a food market. The food market was renovated in 1933 and was later converted to a sign shop and garage. By the 1970s, the space under the Manhattan approach was used by the Department of Highways. New York City Center 's Cinematheque leased space under the Queensboro Bridge in 1973, although
28598-493: The walkways), as well as 13-foot-wide (4.0 m) walkways cantilevered outside the trusses. As of 2023 , the upper level has four lanes of automobile traffic, consisting of a pair of two-lane roadways. Although both roadways end at Thomson Avenue in Queens, they diverge in Manhattan. The two northern lanes, normally used by westbound traffic, lead to 62nd and 63rd Streets. The two southern lanes, normally used by eastbound traffic, lead to 57th and 58th Streets. The southern roadway
28779-411: The weight of trucks had caused the steel buckle plates under the pavement to break, though the commissioner of the city's Plant and Structure Department said the bridge was still safe and that stronger plates were being installed. In addition, Manhattan borough president Julius Miller proposed a plaza and a new approach road at the Manhattan end in 1924, and he submitted plans to acquire property for
28960-401: The world's entertainment industry. Sixth Avenue also has the headquarters of three of the four major U.S. television networks . Midtown is part of Manhattan Community District 5 . It is patrolled by the 14th and 18th precincts of the New York City Police Department . Geographically, the northern boundary of Midtown Manhattan is commonly defined to be 59th Street ; its southern boundary
29141-403: Was $ 101,981, though the median income in Midtown individually was $ 120,854. In 2018, an estimated 11% of Midtown Manhattan residents lived in poverty, compared to 14% in all of Manhattan and 20% in all of New York City. One in twenty residents (5%) were unemployed, compared to 7% in Manhattan and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent,
29322-720: Was a train yard for the streetcars. The entire route is in Queens County . Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan , serving as the city's primary central business district . Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building , the Chrysler Building , the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project ,
29503-515: Was announced, with the aim of reducing traffic congestion. Approximately 750,000 vehicles enter Midtown Manhattan on a fall business day. According to the 2011 Traffic Data Report for New York State, 777,527 vehicles a day went through select toll facilities into Manhattan. The New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division , First Department, is located at the Appellate Division Courthouse at 25th Street and Madison Avenue
29684-504: Was completed at the beginning of 1906. After the Blackwell's Island span was finished, the falsework was moved to Manhattan and Queens, and the westernmost and easternmost spans were built atop the falsework. At that point, the city government had acquired much of the land for the approaches. The bridge's construction was delayed when the Housesmiths' Union went on strike that January. Unions representing other trades refused to join
29865-602: Was completed in 1900 by architect James Brown Lord , who used a third of the construction budget to decorate the building with statues and murals. The Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration operates its New York office on the 22nd floor at 135 West 50th Street . Several countries, including Algeria , Argentina , The Bahamas , China , Costa Rica , Germany , Ireland , Israel , Jamaica , Japan , Luxembourg , Mexico , Morocco , Saudi Arabia , Singapore , South Africa , South Korea , United Kingdom , and Ukraine , have Permanent Missions accredited to
30046-416: Was created by linking and expanding these already-existing streets, stubs of which still exist. A remnant of the old Hoffman Boulevard can be found in Forest Hills where the local lanes of traffic diverge into two routes, one straight and one that bends around MacDonald Park. The part that bends around the park was the original route of Hoffman Boulevard. The street was built in the early 20th century to connect
30227-423: Was created by linking and expanding these already-existing streets, stubs of which still exist. In 1913, a trolley line was constructed from 59th Street in Manhattan east along the new boulevard. During the 1920s and 1930s the boulevard was widened in conjunction with the digging of the IND Queens Boulevard Line subway tunnels. In 1941, the New York City Planning Department proposed converting Queens Boulevard into
30408-474: Was demolished by the end of the year. There were also plans in the mid-1940s to connect the bridge's Queens terminal with an expressway running to the John F. Kennedy International Airport . The City Planning Commission proposed rebuilding the Manhattan end of the bridge in late 1946 and adding an eight-story parking garage above the approach viaduct. This proposal was postponed due to a lack of money. The bridge
30589-464: Was elected as the city's mayor in late 1901, he promised that work would continue, even though the city's new bridge commissioner, Gustav Lindenthal , wanted to temporarily halt construction. Lindenthal narrowed the bridge from 120 to 80 feet (37 to 24 m). The modifications would allow the city to save $ 850,000 while allowing the city to build toll booths, as well as stairs and elevators to Blackwell's Island, within these piers. To compensate for
30770-453: Was halted after the piers were built, first due to lawsuits, then because of Corbin's death. Manhattan and Queens were merged into the City of Greater New York in 1898, spurring alternate plans for a bridge between Manhattan and Queens. New York Assembly members proposed separate bills in early 1898 to revoke Rainey's franchise for the bridge and to have the city purchase Rainey's franchise. Rainey vowed not to sell his franchise, but
30951-523: Was moving its North American headquarters from Midtown to Melville , New York , in Suffolk County on Long Island . Based on data from the 2010 United States Census , the population of Midtown Manhattan was 28,630, a change of 2,823 (9.9%) from the 25,807 counted in 2000 . Covering an area of 692.81 acres (280.37 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 41.3 inhabitants per acre (26,400/sq mi; 10,200/km ). The racial makeup of
31132-416: Was nearly done later that year. By the early 1920s, one hundred thousand people a day used the span, and the Queensboro Bridge and the other East River bridges were rapidly reaching their vehicular capacity. One count in 1920 found that an estimated 18,000 motor vehicles used the bridge daily, while another count in 1925 found that 45,000 vehicles used the span in 24 hours. Proposals to relieve traffic on
31313-475: Was never completed. in the early 1940s, New York State Route 25 was altered to follow Queens Boulevard entirely. On November 18, 1949, the Traffic Commission approved the retiming of traffic signals along the entire Boulevard to speed traffic, which would take effect about February 1, 1950. The change, known as the "triple-offset system" was expected to reduce peak congestion, like what was done on
31494-425: Was planned as a cantilever bridge carrying four LIRR tracks, as well as roadways and footpaths. By that November, two cofferdams were being sunk for the bridge's piers. Laborers began constructing foundations for another pier on the eastern shore of Blackwell Island in April 1895. Stone and steel contracts had been awarded by the following year, and two of the piers had been built above the water line. Construction
31675-417: Was planning to open a supermarket in this space, which opened in December 2021. There is a massive bronze lamppost at the end of the Manhattan approach, near the intersection of Second Avenue and 59th Street. Formerly, there was a second lamppost near 60th Street. Both lampposts consisted of thick piers, which were topped by four stanchions (each with a globe-shaped lamp) and a larger spherical lamp in
31856-438: Was proposed in 1913, and plans for elevated rapid transit on the upper level were approved at the same time. By that year, the bridge carried 29 million people a year (compared to 3.6 million during 1909). Horse-drawn vehicles made up almost 30 percent of the bridge's total vehicular traffic in the early 1910s, which dropped to less than 2 percent within a decade. In mid-1914, engineers devised plans to add two subway tracks to
32037-564: Was repainted in 1948, and a $ 12 million renovation of the bridge was announced the next year. The plan included two extra lanes on the upper level, new pavement, a bus terminal in Manhattan, and cloverleaf ramps at the Manhattan approach. The city government was concurrently planning the Welfare Island Bridge , which would allow people to access Welfare Island without needing to use the Queensboro Bridge's elevator. Officials installed fences in 1951 to prevent jaywalking at
32218-408: Was sold on July 2, 2007, for US$ 510 million, about US$ 1,589 per square foot (US$ 17,104/m ), it broke the barely month-old record for an American office building of US$ 1,476 per square foot (US$ 15,887/m ) based on the sale of 660 Madison Avenue . In 2014, Manhattan was home to six of the top ten zip codes in the United States by median housing price. In 2019, the most expensive home sale ever in
32399-514: Was the first year that no one was killed crossing the street since 1983, the year when detailed fatality records were first kept. In 2014, the speed limit on Queens Boulevard was reduced further, from 30 mph to 25 mph (40 km/h). The speed limit decrease was part of de Blasio's Vision Zero program, which aimed to decrease pedestrian deaths citywide. From 2014 to 2016, average speeds of eastbound cars on Queens Boulevard declined from 28.7 to 25.6 miles per hour (46.2 to 41.2 km/h), and
32580-488: Was to commence shortly, and a cofferdam for one of the bridge's piers was installed that month. By the time the United States Congress approved plans for the bridge in 1887, Rainey's bridge had been relocated southward. A state justice found in 1890 that the bridge's charter was invalid. Nonetheless, Rainey's efforts to build the bridge made his name "a household word in western Long Island". By
32761-694: Was to have been separated rights-of-way for the trolley line. On May 2, 1936, Queens Borough President George U. Harvey cut the ribbon for the opening of the center roadway of the Boulevard at Seminole Avenue in Forest Hills. This widened section allowed drivers to access the Grand Central Parkway. This work was partially funded with aid from the Works Progress Administration . $ 1,555,000 was initially allotted to this project. On April 17, 1937, trolley service along Queens Boulevard ended, being replaced by bus service. In
#944055