The Brooklyn Bridge is a suspension bridge connecting Brooklyn and Manhattan in New York City. Designed by John Roebling, it opened in 1883 and was the longest suspension bridge in the world. It has become a popular tourist attraction and is designated as a city and national landmark. In 2007, it was found to be in poor condition but has since undergone repairs.
The Brooklyn Bridge is a suspension bridge located in New York City in the United States. Built in the 19th century, the bridge spans the East River and connects the New York boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan. The bridge serves a practical purpose for the city’s commuters, but has also become a popular tourist attraction among visitors to the city.
John Roebling was a German immigrant and engineer who designed the bridge. Work began in 1869 and fourteen years passed before the bridge officially opened in 1883. Roebling died in 1869, shortly before construction began, but his son Washington Roebling assumed control of the project after his death. Washington Roebling suffered an injury in 1870 that prevented him from taking an active part in the rest of the building process, so his wife Emily Warren Roebling supervised the rest of the construction.
This project was organized by the New York Bridge Company, and the City of Brooklyn provided two-thirds of the funding. Under the terms of the construction contract, the company could charge pedestrians and passengers in vehicles who crossed the bridge. Rates were capped so that the bridge company could not make more than 15 percent annual profit. The kilometer-long bridge was the first suspension bridge to use steel wire.
The Brooklyn Bridge opened to the public on May 24, 1883. City officials made the opening day a public holiday, and 150,300 people paid the 1 cent fare to cross the bridge. When it first opened, the Brooklyn Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission has designated the bridge as a city landmark, and nationally, it has also been designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service. Prior to the construction of the bridge, Brooklyn had a population of just 400,000 while Manhattan was overcrowded, but the opening of the bridge allowed more people to move from New York City to Brooklyn without impacting their ability to get to work.
In 2007, New York inspectors found the Brooklyn Bridge to be in poor condition. While structurally sound, many parts of the bridge, including the ramps and decking, were in need of repair. With funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and other organizations, repair work began in 2010. As of 2011, city officials estimate that more than 120,000 vehicles and 4,000 pedestrians cross the historic bridge each day.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
