The Brooklyn Bridge

One of the most recognizable and graceful landmarks in New York City, the Brooklyn Bridge is the oldest -- and still one of the longest -- suspension bridges in the United States. The 6016-foot long bridge over the East River links New York's Manhattan and Brooklyn boroughs. When the Neo-Gothic structure opened in 1883, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world.

History

The Brooklyn Bridge was designed by Ohioan John Augustus Roebling, also known for his design of the later (and similar) bridge across the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Covington, Kentucky. The bridge, begun in 1880, took almost 14 years to complete, and was hampered by death and tragedy.

John Roebling, himself, took ill from tetanus just days after construction began, and he died shorty thereafter. His son, Washington, took over the project, but he too fell ill from "the bends" caused by working using compressed air inside of the pylons under the river. He never fully recovered, and it was his wife, Emily, who oversaw the daily operation of the construction project, studying engineering and construction to best be able to communicate with the foremen. In fact, it was Emily Roebling, not her husband, who led over 1800 vehicles and 150,000 pedestrians over the bridge when it opened in May, 1883.

Tragedy also struck shortly after the bridge opened when a rumor that the bridge was going to collapse caused a pedestrian stampede, crushing twelve people.

Throughout the years, the traffic across the Brooklyn Bridge has included horses, trolleys, elevated trains, and streetcars as well as pedestrians and automobiles. Today, just autos, cyclists, and pedestrians are permitted on the bridge.

The Structure

The Bridge in Popular Culture

The Brooklyn Bridge has been, and continues to be, a popular cultural icon. The structure has been featured in numerous movies, including "Deep Impact", "Gangs of New York", and most recently, "The Fantastic Four". The bridge has also been the subject of an extensive Ken Burns documentary, shown on PBS television and a best-selling non-fiction work by David McCullough. The bridge has inspired some of the great artists of the 19th and 20th century, including Walt Whitman, Frank Lloyd Wright, Hart Crane, and Georgia O'Keefe.

Visiting the Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge continues to be as vital as when it first opened 120 years ago. The bridge today has six traffic lanes as well as a center lane reserved for pedestrians and cyclists. Passage is free and the walk across takes about 20 minutes (without stopping to admire the spectacular views of the city and nearby Ellis and Liberty Islands). Over 145,000 vehicles, 5000 pedestrians, and 2500 cyclists cross the bridge each day. No busses or trucks are allowed on the bridge.

At the base of the bridge, on the Manhattan side, is a 70-acre park, whose facilities include a large indoor recreation center, multiple restaurants, a hotel, and a 1.3-mile riverfront promenade. Be sure to view the bridge in the evening. Since the 1980s, the Brooklyn Bridge has been illuminated nightly, showing off its stylish, graceful, and historic lines.

Location: crossing between the city of Brooklyn and lower Manhattan