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Williamsburg Bridge facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Williamsburg Bridge
Above Williamsburg Bridge crop.jpg
Carries 8 lanes of roadway, 2 tracks of the New York City Subway, pedestrians, and bicycles
Crosses East River
Locale Manhattan and Brooklyn, in New York City
Maintained by New York City Department of Transportation
Characteristics
Design Suspension bridge and truss causeways
Total length 7,308 feet (2,227 m)
Width 118 feet (36 m)
Longest span 1,600 feet (490 m)
Clearance above 10 feet 6 inches (3.2 m) (inner roadways only)
Clearance below 135 feet (41 m) at mean high water
History
Architect Henry Hornbostel
Designer Leffert L. Buck
Opened December 19, 1903; 116 years ago (December 19, 1903)
Statistics
Daily traffic 106,783 (2008)
Toll Free

The Williamsburg Bridge is a suspension bridge in New York City. It goes between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The bridge opened on December 19, 1903. It is free to cross.

History

Video of the opening of the Williamsburg Bridge in 1903

The bridge was built starting in 1896. It cost $24,200,000. Until 1924, it was the world's longest suspension bridge.

The bridge has been rebuilt since the 1980s. It was closed in 1988 after cracks were found on the bridge. A bicycle lane was also built on the bridge.

In 2003, the bridge turned 100 years old. On June 22, 2003, people held a party on the bridge to celebrate the bridge's age. In 2009, the bridge was made a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

Train tracks

There are two New York City Subway tracks in the middle of the bridge. There also used to be trolley tracks on the bridge.

Images for kids

  • Williamsburg Bridge from Gowanus Bay jeh

    Full span, as seen from Wallabout Bay with Greenpoint and Long Island City in background

  • NYC Williamsburg Bridge tracks

    View of tracks on the bridge

  • Speeding J train on the Williamsburg Bridge

    The J train on the Bridge's rail tracks before sunrise.

  • Cont Army Plz Billyb jeh

    Continental Army Plaza

  • WilliamsburgBridge1903 crop

    Fireworks on opening night, 1903

  • New East River Bridge from Brooklyn det.4a09796u

    The bridge under construction, seen from the Brooklyn side

  • Williamsburg Bridge nach Brand

    The bridge damaged by fire while under construction in 1902

  • Williamsburg Bridge - cables and saddle housing

    View of cables and saddle housing

  • WB Bridge from South 6th St jeh

    From South 6th Street on the Brooklyn side

  • USA williamsburg bridge NY

    From Delancey Street on the Manhattan side

  • Williamsburg Bridge pedestrian and bike path WSTM Zefferus 0181

    Runners and cyclists can avoid Brooklyn Bridge's tourist traffic

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