A vertical-lift bridge or just lift bridge is a type of movable bridge in which a span rises vertically while remaining parallel with the deck.
6-636: The Roosevelt Island Bridge is a tower drive vertical lift bridge that connects Roosevelt Island in Manhattan to Astoria in Queens , crossing the East Channel of the East River . It is the sole route to the island for vehicular and foot traffic (without using public transportation ). Construction of the bridge began on March 17, 1952, at a cost of $ 6.5 million. It opened on May 18, 1955, as
12-489: A bridge in New York is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a building or structure in Queens is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Vertical-lift bridge The vertical lift offers several benefits over other movable bridges such as the bascule and swing-span bridges . Generally speaking, they cost less to build for longer moveable spans. The counterweights in
18-743: A fixed bridge to reduce the cost of its maintenance. The bridge is rarely opened, because most vessels passing by Roosevelt Island use the West Channel of the East River. Most of the bridge openings occur in September during the General Assembly at the United Nations when the West Channel is closed for security reasons. [REDACTED] Media related to Roosevelt Island Bridge at Wikimedia Commons This article about
24-454: A vertical lift are only required to be equal to the weight of the deck, whereas bascule bridge counterweights must weigh several times as much as the span being lifted. As a result, heavier materials can be used in the deck, and so this type of bridge is especially suited for heavy railroad use. The biggest disadvantage to the vertical-lift bridge (in comparison with many other designs) is the height restriction for vessels passing under it, due to
30-563: The Welfare Island Bridge . The name was changed to the Roosevelt Island Bridge in 1973. When the bridge is open it provides ships with 100 feet (30 m) of vertical clearance. It is 40 feet (12 m) wide, and its total length, including approaches, is 2,877 feet (877 m). The main span is 418 feet (127 m). Before the bridge was constructed, the only way vehicles could access Roosevelt Island
36-643: Was via an elevator on the Queensboro Bridge . The elevator was subsequently demolished in 1970. The Roosevelt Island Bridge provides direct access to the Motorgate Parking Garage, which was designed to minimize vehicular traffic on the island. The garage was completed in 1974 and later expanded in 1990. In 2001, the New York City Department of Transportation considered converting the Roosevelt Island Bridge into
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