The Brooklyn Bridge
Vital Statistics:
Location: Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York, USA
Completion Date: 1883
Cost: $18 million
Length: 3,460 feet
Type: Suspension
Purpose: Roadway
Materials: Steel, granite
Longest Single Span: 1,595 feet
Engineer(s): John A. Roebling, Washington A. Roebling
The Brooklyn Bridge started construction in January 3, 1870 in Brooklyn, New York and opened on May 24, 1883 and its granite towers and steel cables have offered a safe and scenic passage across the East River to millions of commuters and tourists, trains and bicycles, pushcarts and cars ever since. The bridge’s construction took 14 years, needed 600 workers and cost $18 million (which is more than $320 million in today’s dollars). At least two dozen people died in the process, including its original designer. Thousands of residents of Brooklyn and Manhattan Island turned out to witness the dedication ceremony, which was presided over by President Chester A. Arthur and New York Governor Grover Cleveland. Emily Roebling was given the first ride over the completed bridge, with a rooster, a symbol of victory, on her lap. Within 24 hours, an estimated 250,000 people walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, using a sidewalk above the roadway that John Roebling designed for the pedestrians. With its length and two epic towers, the Brooklyn Bridge was named the “eighth wonder of the world.” For several years after its construction, it remained the tallest structure in the Western Hemisphere. The connection it provided between the massive population centers of Brooklyn and Manhattan changed the course of New York City forever. The Brooklyn Bridge, which, with a span of more just over 1,595 feet, was by far the longest suspension bridge in the world. It remained that way until 1903, when the nearby Williamsburg Bridge overtook it by 4.5 feet. Now more than 125 years old, this iconic feature of the New York City skyline still carries roughly 150,000 vehicles and pedestrians every day.
Location: Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York, USA
Completion Date: 1883
Cost: $18 million
Length: 3,460 feet
Type: Suspension
Purpose: Roadway
Materials: Steel, granite
Longest Single Span: 1,595 feet
Engineer(s): John A. Roebling, Washington A. Roebling
The Brooklyn Bridge started construction in January 3, 1870 in Brooklyn, New York and opened on May 24, 1883 and its granite towers and steel cables have offered a safe and scenic passage across the East River to millions of commuters and tourists, trains and bicycles, pushcarts and cars ever since. The bridge’s construction took 14 years, needed 600 workers and cost $18 million (which is more than $320 million in today’s dollars). At least two dozen people died in the process, including its original designer. Thousands of residents of Brooklyn and Manhattan Island turned out to witness the dedication ceremony, which was presided over by President Chester A. Arthur and New York Governor Grover Cleveland. Emily Roebling was given the first ride over the completed bridge, with a rooster, a symbol of victory, on her lap. Within 24 hours, an estimated 250,000 people walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, using a sidewalk above the roadway that John Roebling designed for the pedestrians. With its length and two epic towers, the Brooklyn Bridge was named the “eighth wonder of the world.” For several years after its construction, it remained the tallest structure in the Western Hemisphere. The connection it provided between the massive population centers of Brooklyn and Manhattan changed the course of New York City forever. The Brooklyn Bridge, which, with a span of more just over 1,595 feet, was by far the longest suspension bridge in the world. It remained that way until 1903, when the nearby Williamsburg Bridge overtook it by 4.5 feet. Now more than 125 years old, this iconic feature of the New York City skyline still carries roughly 150,000 vehicles and pedestrians every day.