Great Bridges Codexery

The Brooklyn Bridge

An iconic cable-stayed suspension bridge spanning the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Last updated

The Brooklyn Bridge

Christian David · CC BY-SA 4.0

Where it is

Street map of the area around The Brooklyn Bridge; the red dot marks 40°42′22″N 73°59′46″W
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Coordinates: 40°42′22″N 73°59′46″W (40.7060, -73.9960) · Open in OpenStreetMap

Coordinates and connected clubs: the infobox of Wikipedia: Brooklyn Bridge (CC BY-SA 4.0). Map: drawn by Codexery from OpenStreetMap tiles.

The Brooklyn Bridge is the southernmost of five vehicular bridges connecting Manhattan Island and Long Island.[1] It uses a hybrid design combining elements of cable-stayed and suspension bridges, with stone towers in a neo-Gothic style.[2] The bridge is open only to cars carrying passengers, people on foot, and bicycles.[1]

Brooklyn Bridge, New York City
Brooklyn Bridge, New York City. Image: Jakub Hałun · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Geography and history

Construction began on January 2, 1870, with the first work being the construction of two caissons.[3] The East River is crossed by this bridge, whose two suspension towers are set 1595.5 ft apart as the main span.[4] From the curb at Park Row in Manhattan to the curb at Sands Street in Brooklyn, the total length including approaches is 6016 ft.[5][6] Ideas for linking the then-independent cities of Brooklyn and New York with a bridge were put forward as early as 1800.[7]

Base of the Brooklyn-side tower of the Brooklyn Bridge, low-angle view, New York City
Base of the Brooklyn-side tower of the Brooklyn Bridge, low-angle view, New York City. Image: Christian David · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

A bill permitting the construction of a suspension bridge connecting Brooklyn and Manhattan was approved by the New York State Senate in February 1867.[8] On March 19, 1870, the caisson for the Brooklyn side was set afloat in the river.[9] The bridge's stone towers reached completion in July 1876; at that time, only the spire of Trinity Church, at 279 ft, was taller than them among the city's structures.[10][11]

Brooklyn-Manhattan-Williamsburg-Bridges at Sunset 2021-06-15 19-31
Brooklyn-Manhattan-Williamsburg-Bridges at Sunset 2021-06-15 19-31. Image: Axel Tschentscher · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What the cited sources add

A 1922 treatise by Steinman describes the bridge's trusses as being 33 ft deep and originally numbering six, with two removed during a late-1940s renovation.[12][13][14] A 2016 am New York article notes that the promenade generally ranges from 17 ft at its widest to 10 ft at its narrowest.[15] The same biography notes that Roebling entrusted final completion of his Ohio River bridge to his son Washington because he was called to Brooklyn to prepare plans for the East River bridge.[16] The act of incorporation for the New York Bridge Company was passed into law on April 16, 1867.[17][8]

Brooklyn-side tower of the Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn Bridge Park, New York City
Brooklyn-side tower of the Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn Bridge Park, New York City. Image: Christian David · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

According to the NYCDOT, the bridge was first painted "Brooklyn Bridge Tan" and "Silver", though other sources claim the original color was entirely "Rawlins Red".[18] The American Society of Civil Engineers biography notes that John Augustus Roebling had previously built shorter suspension bridges, including the Niagara Suspension Bridge, before designing the Brooklyn Bridge.[16][19]

Brooklyn Bridge, view from Brooklyn Bridge Park, New York City
Brooklyn Bridge, view from Brooklyn Bridge Park, New York City. Image: Jakub Hałun · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Brooklyn Bridge, New York City
Brooklyn Bridge, New York City. Image: Jakub Hałun · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Brooklyn Bridge" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Sharif, "Protecting New York City's Bridge Assets", Federal Highway Administration, 2005 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Brooklyn Bridge" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ; "Brooklyn Bridge – History, Construction, & Facts", Encyclopædia Britannica (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Brooklyn Bridge" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "About the Brooklyn Bridge", The New York Sun, June 11, 1891, p. 6; "Brooklyn Bridge, Part 2", Structure magazine, November 5, 2012 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Brooklyn Bridge" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Cables Slip, But Brooklyn Bridge Is Safe", New-York Tribune, July 29, 1922, p. 1, 3; ; "NOAA National Ocean Service Coast Survey Navigational Chart #12335: Hudson and East Rivers, Governors Island to 67th Street", National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, October 1, 2019; Goldstein, "Mexican Navy Ship Crashes Into Brooklyn Bridge, Killing 2 Crew Members", The New York Times, 2025-05-18; Thomson, "The Bridges of New York City", 1910, p. 284 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Brooklyn Bridge" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ; "Brooklyn Bridge", New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, August 24, 1967, p. 1 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Brooklyn Bridge" (CC BY-SA 4.0) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Brooklyn Bridge" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ; Brown Brothers, "A Builder Of New York And His Bridge; Washington A. Roebling, Who Erected the Brooklyn Span, Risked and Lost His Health in the Great Enterprise", The New York Times, December 29, 1929; ; Brock, "Brooklyn Bridge:Fifty Vivid Years; The Historic Span Ushered in the Era of Manhattan's Ties With Neighbors", The New York Times, May 21, 1933; ; Brown Brothers, "A Builder Of New York And His Bridge; Washington A. Roebling, Who Erected the Brooklyn Span, Risked and Lost His Health in the Great Enterprise", The New York Times, en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Brooklyn Bridge" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "New-York; Affairs At The State Capital", The New York Times, April 18, 2018; ; "An Act to Incorporate the New York Bridge Company, For the Purpose of Constructing and Maintaining a Bridge over the East River, Between the Cities of New York and Brooklyn", Brooklyn Savings Bank, April 16, 1867; "The Brooklyn Bridge; Report of the Subcommittee of Fifty Important Facts and Figures The New-York And Brooklyn Bridge.", The New York Times, April 10, 1872; "About the Brooklyn Bridge", The New York Sun, June 11, 1891, p. 6; ; "An Act to Incorpor en.wikipedia.org
  9. Wikipedia, "Brooklyn Bridge" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Brooklyn Bridge, Part 2", Structure magazine, November 5, 2012 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  10. Wikipedia, "Brooklyn Bridge" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "The Bridge Tower; Its Practical Completion on the Brooklyn Side To-Day", Brooklyn Daily Eagle, December 15, 1874, p. 3; (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  11. Wikipedia, "Brooklyn Bridge" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Stevens, "A timeline of New York's tallest buildings, from a wooden observatory to one WTC", designboom.com, May 8, 2021 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  12. Wikipedia, "Brooklyn Bridge" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Steinman, "A Practical Treatise on Suspension Bridges: Their Design, Construction and Erection", Wiley, 1922, p. 84 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  13. Wikipedia, "Brooklyn Bridge" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Farrington, "Concise Description of the East River Bridge: With Full Details of Construction ... Two Lectures Delivered ... March 6 and 13, 1880", C. D. Wynkoop, Printer, 1881, p. 25–26; Steinman, "A Practical Treatise on Suspension Bridges: Their Design, Construction and Erection", Wiley, 1922, p. 84; "Brooklyn Span Job Is 'Up' to Schedule'; Laying New Roadbed on Brooklyn Bridge", The New York Times, September 20, 1950; ; ; Mehren, "Engineering Record, Building Record and Sanitary Engineer", McGraw Publishing Company, 1889, p. 105 (we en.wikipedia.org
  14. Steinman, "A Practical Treatise on Suspension Bridges: Their Design, Construction and Erection", Wiley, 1922, p. 84. facts only, no text reused. archive.org
  15. Barone, "City Considers Expansion of Brooklyn Bridge Path", am New York, August 9, 2016. facts only, no text reused. amny.com
  16. "John Augustus Roebling", American Society of Civil Engineers. facts only, no text reused. asce.org
  17. "An Act to Incorporate the New York Bridge Company, For the Purpose of Constructing and Maintaining a Bridge over the East River, Between the Cities of New York and Brooklyn", Brooklyn Savings Bank, April 16, 1867. facts only, no text reused. archive.org
  18. Wikipedia, "Brooklyn Bridge" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Saxena, "Brooklyn Bridge Almost Painted 'Queensborough Tan'", Gothamist, May 4, 2010; Buiso, "City red-faced after naming Brooklyn Bridge's paint after hated Queens", Brooklyn Paper, May 4, 2010 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  19. Wikipedia, "Brooklyn Bridge" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "John Augustus Roebling", American Society of Civil Engineers (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Brooklyn Bridge (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

Test yourself on TriviaCafe: One of the greatest celebrations ever seen in New York City occurred in May, 1883, when millions celebrated…

Related entries

Named in this entry

New York CityRenaissance architectureSkateboardingWattWorld War IGraniteSuez CanalDecompression sickness

More in Great Bridges

The Golden Gate BridgeTower BridgeSydney Harbour BridgeAkashi Kaikyo BridgeThe Millau ViaductThe Ponte VecchioThe Rialto BridgeCharles BridgeThe Chain BridgeConfederation BridgeThe Oresund BridgeDanyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge

Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

Spotted an error? Know more?

Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced

Comments

Loading…
Open in the interactive codex →