Bridges_and_tunnels_in_New_York_City
New York City is home to many bridges and tunnels. Several agencies manage this network of crossings. The New York City Department of Transportation owns and operates almost 800.[1] The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New York State Department of Transportation and Amtrak have many others.
Many of the city's major bridges and tunnels have broken or set records. Opened in 1927, the Holland Tunnel was the world's first mechanically ventilated underwater vehicular tunnel. The Brooklyn Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge, George Washington Bridge, and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge were the world's longest suspension bridges when opened in 1883,[2] 1903,[3] 1931,[4] and 1964[5] respectively. There are 789 bridges and tunnels in New York.
New York City's crossings date back to 1693, when its first bridge, known as the King's Bridge, was constructed over Spuyten Duyvil Creek between Manhattan and the Bronx, located in the present-day Kingsbridge neighborhood. The bridge, composed of stone abutments and a timber deck, was demolished in 1917. The oldest crossing still standing is High Bridge, built 1848 to carry the Croton Aqueduct from Manhattan to the Bronx over the Harlem River.[6] This bridge was built to carry water to the city as part of the Croton Aqueduct system.
Ten bridges and one tunnel serving the city have been awarded some level of landmark status. The Holland Tunnel was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1993 in recognition of its pioneering role as the first mechanically ventilated vehicular underwater tunnel, operating since 1927. The George Washington, High, Hell Gate, Queensboro, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Macombs Dam, Carroll Street, University Heights, and Washington Bridges have all received landmark status, as well.[6]
New York features bridges of many lengths and types, carrying vehicular, bicycle, pedestrian, and subway traffic. The George Washington Bridge, spanning the Hudson River between New York City and Fort Lee, New Jersey, is the world's busiest bridge in terms of vehicular traffic.[7][8] The George Washington, Verrazzano-Narrows, and Brooklyn Bridges are noted for their architecture, while others are more well known for their functional importance, such as the Williamsburg Bridge with 8 vehicular lanes, 2 subway tracks, a bike lane, and pedestrian walkways.
Bridges by body of water
East River
From south to north:
| Name | Opening year | Length | Carries | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| feet | meters | ||||
| Brooklyn Bridge | 1883 | 5,988 | 1,825 | 5 lanes of roadway (2 Manhattan-bound, 3 Brooklyn-bound) | Oldest suspension bridge in NYC. Also oldest suspension/cable-stayed hybrid bridge. |
| Manhattan Bridge | 1909 | 6,854 | 2,089 | 7 lanes of roadway and     trains | Double-decker bridge with 5 westbound lanes and 2 eastbound lanes. 3 of the westbound lanes and the subway are below the other 4 lanes. |
| Williamsburg Bridge | 1903 | 7,308.0 | 2,227.48 | 8 lanes of roadway (4 in each direction) and    trains | |
| Queensboro Bridge | 1909 | 3,724 | 1,135 | 9 lanes of  NY 25 (Queens Boulevard) | Officially known as the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge. Also known as 59th Street Bridge. Reversible 4 lanes on the upper deck, and 2 westbound/3 eastbound lanes on the lower deck. |
| Roosevelt Island Bridge | 1955 | 2,877.0 | 876.91 | 2 lanes of roadway (1 in each direction) | East channel only |
| Triborough Bridge (Suspension Bridge) | 1936 | 2,790 | 850 | 8 lanes of  I-278 (4 in each direction) | Officially known as the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge |
| Hell Gate Bridge | 1916 | 1,020 | 310 | 3 rail tracks (2 of Northeast Corridor, 1 of New York Connecting Railroad) | |
| Rikers Island Bridge | 1966 | 4,200.0 | 1,280.16 | 2 lanes of roadway | Only connects Rikers Island to Queens |
| Bronx–Whitestone Bridge | 1939 | 3,770.0 | 1,149.10 | 6 lanes of  I-678 (Whitestone Expressway) | |
| Throgs Neck Bridge | 1961 | 2,910.0 | 886.97 | 6 lanes of  I-295 (Throgs Neck Expressway) | |
Harlem River
From south to north, east to west:
| Name | Opening year | Length | Carries | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| feet | meters | ||||
| Wards Island Bridge | 1951 | 937 | 285.6 | Pedestrians and bicycles only | |
| Triborough Bridge (Vertical-Lift Bridge) | 1936 | 750 | 230 | 2 lanes of exit ramp from F.D.R. Drive | Officially known as the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge |
| Willis Avenue Bridge | 1901 | 3,212 | 979 | 4 lanes of roadway | Northbound traffic only |
| Third Avenue Bridge | 1898 | 2,800.0 | 853.44 | 5 lanes of roadway | Southbound traffic only |
| Park Avenue Bridge | 1956 | 330 | 100 | 4 tracks of Metro-North | |
| Madison Avenue Bridge | 1910 | 1,893 | 577 | 4 lanes of roadway | |
| 145th Street Bridge | 1905 | 1,604 | 489 | 4 lanes of roadway | |
| Macombs Dam Bridge | 1895 | 2,539 | 774 | 4 lanes of roadway | |
| High Bridge | 1848 | 2,000 | 600 | Pedestrian walkway and bicycle lanes | Oldest surviving bridge in New York City |
| Alexander Hamilton Bridge | 1963 | 2,375 | 724 | 8 lanes of  I-95 and  US 1 | |
| Washington Bridge | 1888 | 2,375 | 723.9 | 6 lanes of roadway | |
| University Heights Bridge | 1908 | 269 | 82 | 2 lanes of roadway | |
| Broadway Bridge | 1962 | 558.0 | 170.08 | 4 lanes of Broadway/  US 9 and the  train | Also known as Harlem Ship Canal Bridge |
| Henry Hudson Bridge | 1936 | 2,208 | 673 | 6 lanes of   NY 9A / Henry Hudson Parkway | Double-decked bridge |
| Spuyten Duyvil Bridge | 1899 | 610 | 186 | 1 track of Empire Corridor | Swing bridge |
Hudson River
| Name | Opening year | Length | Carries | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| feet | meters | ||||
| George Washington Bridge | 1931 | 4,760.0 | 1,450.85 | 14 lanes of  I-95 / US 1 / US 9 / US 46 | Double-deck, 8 lanes on upper level, 6 lanes on lower level. 7 lanes in each direction. |
New York Bay
| Name | Opening year | Length | Carries | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| feet | meters | ||||
| Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge | 1964 | 13,701 | 4,176 | 13 lanes of I-278 | Double-deck, 7 lanes on upper level; 3 in each direction and 1 reversible HOV 3+ lane. 6 lanes on lower level; three in each direction. |
Newtown Creek
| Name | Opening year | Length | Carries | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| feet | meters | ||||
| Kosciuszko Bridge | 2017, 2019 | 6,020 | 1,835 | 6 lanes of I-278 | Eastbound span opened in April 2017, and westbound span opened in August 2019. It replaces the original bridge |
| Pulaski Bridge | 1954 | 2,820 | 860 | 6 lanes of McGuinness Boulevard | Drawbridge |
| Greenpoint Avenue Bridge | 1987[9] | 180 | 55 | 4 lanes of Greenpoint Avenue | a.k.a. J. J. Byrne Memorial Bridge Drawbridge |
| Grand Street Bridge | 1903[9] | 227 | 69.2 | 1 lane of Grand Avenue | Swing bridge; one-lane bridge |
| Metropolitan Avenue Bridge | 1933[9] | 111 | 33.8 | 4 lanes of Grand Street and Metropolitan Avenue | Drawbridge; Crosses English Kills, a tributary of Newtown Creek[9] |
Other
The Bronx
| Name | Opening year | Length | Carries | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronx Kill | ||||
| Robert F. Kennedy Bridge | 1936 | 1,610 feet (490 m) | 8 lanes of I-278 | Formerly known as the Triborough Bridge |
| Hutchinson River (heading downriver) | ||||
| Eastchester Bridge | 1926 | 0.4 miles | 4 lanes of Boston Road ( US 1) | |
| I-95 bridge | 1961 | 5,280 feet | 6 lanes of I-95 | |
| Hutchinson River Parkway Bridge | 1941 | 673 feet (205 m) | 6 lanes of  Hutchinson River Parkway | Drawbridge |
| Pelham Bay Bridge | 1908 | 81 feet (25 m) | Northeast Corridor (Amtrak) | Also called Amtrak Pelham Bay Bridge |
| Pelham Bridge | 1908 | 892 feet (272 m) | 4 lanes of Shore Road | Drawbridge |
| Westchester Creek | ||||
| Unionport Bridge | 1953 | 526 feet (160.3 m) | 7 lanes of I-278 (Bruckner Boulevard) / I-95 | |
| Bronx River | ||||
| Eastern Boulevard Bridge | 1953 | 634 feet (193.2 m) | I-278 | Drawbridge |
| Eastchester Bay | ||||
| City Island Bridge | 1901 | 950 feet (290 m) | 3 lanes of City Island Avenue | |
Brooklyn
| Name | Opening year | Length | Carries | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gowanus Canal | ||||
| Union Street Bridge | 1905[10] | 600 feet | 2 lanes of Union Street | Drawbridge |
| Carroll Street Bridge | 1889[10] | 300 feet | 2 lanes of Carroll Street | New York City Designated Landmark and one of four retractable bridges in the country[11] |
| Third Street Bridge | 1905[10] | 350 feet | Third Street | |
| Ninth Street Bridge | 1999[10] | 700 feet | Ninth Street | Vertical Lift Bridge |
| Culver Viaduct | 1933[12] | 0.6 miles |    trains | passes over the Ninth Street Bridge, carrying 4 tracks, 2 express and 2 local |
| Hamilton Avenue Bridge | 1942[10] | 0.7 miles | Hamilton Avenue | passes under the Gowanus Expressway and carries four lanes of traffic in each direction |
| Gowanus Expressway | 1941[13] | 9 lanes of I-278 (Gowanus Expressway) | ||
| Mill Basin | ||||
| Mill Basin Bridge | 2017 | 6 lanes of  Belt Parkway | The bridge has a combined bicycle and pedestrian pathway on the eastbound side of the bridge which carries the Jamaica Bay Greenway | |
| Mill Basin Drawbridge
(demolished) |
1940 | 825 ft | 6 lanes of Belt Parkway |
Twin-leaf bascule bridge; demolished in 2018 and replaced by Mill Basin Bridge |
| Rockaway Inlet (Brooklyn and Queens) | ||||
| Marine Parkway–Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge | 1937 | 1226 m | 4 lanes of Flatbush Avenue | also has a narrow combined bicycle and pedestrian path on the southbound side of the bridge |
Queens
| Name | Opening year | Length | Carries | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dutch Kills | ||||
| Borden Avenue Bridge | 1908[9] | 100 feet | 2 lanes of Borden Avenue | One of four retractable bridges in the country[11] |
| Hunters Point Avenue Bridge | 1910[9] | 500 feet | Hunters Point Avenue | |
| Cabin M Bridge | 1 track of the Montauk Cutoff | There is another abandoned track on the bridge | ||
| DB Cabin Bridge | 1 track of the Montauk Branch | The bridge was originally built to carry three tracks | ||
| Jamaica Bay | ||||
| Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge | 1970 | 0.7 miles | 6 lanes Cross Bay Boulevard | |
| Joseph P. Addabbo Memorial Bridge | 1971 | 0.7 miles | 6 lanes of Cross Bay Boulevard | |
| North Channel Swing Bridge |  train | Not actually a movable bridge. Howard Beach to Broad Channel. | ||
| Beach Channel Drawbridge |  trains | Broad Channel to The Rockaways | ||
| 102nd Street Bridge | Connecting Hamilton Beach at Russell Street with Howard Beach, also known as "Lenihan's Bridge". | |||
| Hawtree Creek Bridge | 163rd Avenue and 99th Street in Howard Beach across to Hamilton Beach at Rau Court and Davenport Court | |||
| Rockaway Inlet (Brooklyn and Queens) | ||||
| Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge | 1937 | 1226 m | 4 lanes of Flatbush Avenue | |
Staten Island
| Name | Opening year | Length | Carries | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Kill | ||||
| Goethals Bridge | 2018[14][15] | 2225.04 m | 6 lanes of I-278 | Replaced the old Goethals Bridge (completed 1928); the two new spans are a cable-stayed design |
| Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Bridge | 1959 | 170.08 m | CSX and M&E rail lines | |
| Outerbridge Crossing | 1928 | 3093 m | 4 lanes of  Route 440;  NY 440 | |
| Kill Van Kull | ||||
| Bayonne Bridge | 1931 | 1761.74 m | 4 lanes of NY 440; Route 440 | raised and rebuilt in 2019 |
Each of the tunnels that run underneath the East and Hudson Rivers were marvels of engineering when first constructed. The Holland Tunnel is the oldest of the vehicular tunnels, opening to great fanfare in 1927 as the first mechanically ventilated underwater tunnel. The Queens Midtown Tunnel was opened in 1940 to relieve the congestion on the city's bridges. Each of its tubes were designed 1.5 feet (0.46 m) wider than the Holland Tunnel in order to accommodate the wider cars of the period. When the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel opened in 1950, it was the longest continuous underwater vehicular tunnel in North America, a title it still holds.[16] The Lincoln Tunnel has three tubes linking midtown Manhattan to New Jersey, a configuration that provides the flexibility to provide four lanes in one direction during rush hours, or three lanes in both direction.
All four underwater road tunnels were built by Ole Singstad: the Holland Tunnel's original chief engineer Clifford Milburn Holland died, as did his successor, Milton H. Freeman, after which Singstad became chief engineer, finishing the Holland Tunnel and then building the remaining tunnels.
East River
From south to north:
| Name | Opening year | Length | Carries | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel | 1950 | 2,779 m (9,117 ft) | 4 lanes of  I-478 | Officially known as the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel |
| Joralemon Street Tunnel | 1908 | 2,709 m (8,888 ft) |   trains | |
| Montague Street Tunnel | 1920 | 2,136 m (7,009 ft) |   trains | |
| Clark Street Tunnel | 1919 | 1,800 m (5,900 ft) |   trains | |
| Cranberry Street Tunnel | 1933 |  trains | ||
| Rutgers Street Tunnel | 1936 | trains | ||
| 14th Street Tunnel | 1924 |  train | ||
| East River Tunnels | 1910 | 1,204 m (3,949 ft) | part of the New York Tunnel Extension Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road (Northeast Corridor) | |
| Queens–Midtown Tunnel | 1940 | 1,955 m (6,414 ft) | 4 lanes of  I-495 (Long Island Expressway) | |
| Steinway Tunnel | 1915 |   trains | ||
| 53rd Street Tunnel | 1933 |  trains | ||
| 60th Street Tunnel | 1920 | trains | ||
| 63rd Street Tunnel | 1989 | 960 m (3,140 ft) | Upper level: train Lower level: LIRR to Grand Central Madison | |
| Ravenswood Tunnel | 1892 | Electricity, natural gas, steam, and number 6 fuel oil | First tunnel under the East River and Roosevelt Island, between Big Allis power plant in Astoria and Upper East Side[17] [18] |
Harlem River
From south to north:
| Name | Opening year | Length | Carries | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Avenue Tunnel | 1918 | 391 m (1,283 ft) |   trains | |
| 149th Street Tunnel | 1905 | 195 m (641 ft) | train | |
| Concourse Tunnel | 1933 | trains |
Hudson River
From south to north:
| Name | Opening year | Length | Carries | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Hudson Tubes | 1909 | 1,720 m (5,650 ft) | Montgomery-Cortlandt Tunnels Port Authority Trans-Hudson | |
| Holland Tunnel | 1927 | south tube: 2,551 m (8,371 ft) north tube: 2,608 m (8,558 ft) | 4 lanes of  I-78 (Canal Street);  Route 139 (NJ side) | |
| Uptown Hudson Tubes | 1908 | 1,700 m (5,500 ft) | Hoboken-Morton Tunnels Port Authority Trans-Hudson | |
| North River Tunnels | 1910 | 1,900 m (6,100 ft) | part of New York Tunnel Extension Amtrak and New Jersey Transit (Northeast Corridor) | |
| Lincoln Tunnel | north tube: 1945 center tube: 1937 south tube: 1957 | south tube: 2,440 m (8,006 ft) center tube: 2,504 m (8,216 ft) north tube: 2,281 m (7,482 ft) | 6 lanes of  NY 495 (NY side);  Route 495 (NJ side) |
Newtown Creek
| Name | Opening year | Carries | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenpoint Tube | 1933 | train |
 |
- Park Avenue Tunnel (33rd–40th Streets), Park Avenue Viaduct, and Park Avenue Tunnel (45th–97th Streets), Manhattan
- Battery Park Underpass, Manhattan
- Cobble Hill Tunnel, Brooklyn
- First Avenue Tunnel from 42nd Street to 47th Street, Manhattan
- Seeley Street Bridge over Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn
- Trinity Place Bridge, Manhattan
- Seneca Village Tunnel at 85th St., Central Park
- Glade Arch bridge, between 77th and 78th Sts., Central Park
- Subway tunnel, between 57th Street off 7th Avenue, 63rd Street, and Lexington Avenue, Central Park (F and Q)
 | This section needs to be updated. (February 2018) |
 |
The relative average number of inbound vehicles between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. to Midtown and Lower Manhattan is:
- Queensboro Bridge: 31,000
- Lincoln Tunnel: 25,944
- Brooklyn Bridge: 22,241
- Williamsburg Bridge: 18,339
- Queens-Midtown Tunnel: 17,968
- Holland Tunnel: 16,257
- Brooklyn Battery Tunnel: 14,496
- Manhattan Bridge: 13,818
- List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in New York (state)
- List of tunnels documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in New York (state)
- List of fixed crossings of the East River
- List of crossings of the Harlem River
- List of fixed crossings of the Hudson River
- New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT). "Movable Bridges in the Bronx." Accessed 2015-08-25.
- "NYC DOT - Bridges". www1.nyc.gov. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
- "NYC DOT - Brooklyn Bridge". Retrieved February 24, 2012.
- "NYC DOT - Williamsburg Bridge". Retrieved February 24, 2012.
- "History - George Washington Bridge - The Port Authority of NY & NJ". Retrieved February 24, 2012.
- "Verrazano-Narrows Bridge". Retrieved February 24, 2012.
- "NYC DOT - Frequently Asked Questions about Bridges". Retrieved February 24, 2012.
- "Port Authority of New York and New Jersey - George Washington Bridge". The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
- Bod Woodruff; Lana Zak & Stephanie Wash (November 20, 2012). "GW Bridge Painters: Dangerous Job on Top of the World's Busiest Bridge". ABC News. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
- "Movable Bridges over Newtown Creek and its Tributaries". New York City. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
- New York City Dept. of Transportation. "Bridges over the Gowanus Canal". New York City. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
- Berger, Joseph (May 13, 2013). "Antique Bridge Closed to Traffic While It's Open for Repairs". New York Times. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
- "City Subway Extended". The New York Times. October 7, 1933. p. 16. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
- "Gowanus Expressway". nycroads.com. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
- Porpora, Tracey (June 11, 2017). "Goethals Bridge now open in both directions". SILive.com. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- Grunlund, Maura (May 21, 2018). "First a.m. rush hour for new Goethals Bridge to New Jersey". SILive.com. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
- "Hugh L. Carey Tunnel (formerly Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel)". MTA Bridges & Tunnels. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
- Bridge information
- Bridges by use
- NYC DOT list of movable bridges
- Bridges NYC [history of bridges in New York City and surrounding areas]