Williamsburg Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Williamsburg Bridge |
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| 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 |
| 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
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
The bridge carries subway tracks of the BMT Nassau Street Line. In the early 20th century it also had trolley tracks.
Images for kids
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The bridge was damaged by fire while under construction in 1902
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Full span, as seen from Wallabout Bay with Greenpoint and Long Island City in background
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View of tracks on the bridge
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Continental Army Plaza
