Manhattan Island to New Jersey
When people say New York, they think of Times Square, MoMA, Wall Street, Rockefeller, and Lincoln Center. They are actually only referring to Manhattan as these landmarks are all located there. New York consists of five boroughs, namely, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx. Rivers separated these boroughs. Manhattan is referred to as “the city.” Bridges and tunnels connect Manhattan Island to land (other boroughs and another state).
Downtown (Lower Manhattan), Midtown (Midtown Manhattan), and Uptown (Upper Manhattan) composes Manhattan, New York’s most popular borough. Fifth Avenue runs the length of Manhattan, dividing it into the East and West sides. The East River to its east and the Hudson River to its west. The Harlem River, to its north, divides the island from the Bronx and the rest of the mainland United States. Let us take a look at the bridges and tunnels that connect Manhattan Island to land.
Brooklyn, the most populous borough of New York City, is home to several landmarks. The New York Transit Museum, Barclays Center, Brooklyn Museum, Coney Island, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum are all located in the borough. Brooklyn is the birthplace of deep-fried Twinkie, Sweet ‘N Low, teddy bears, the nation’s first roller coaster, the first bank credit card, and Nathan’s famous hot dogs. If you’re in Manhattan and trying to go to Brooklyn, you can either pass the Brooklyn Bridge, Williamsburgh Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, and the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel.
Manhattan Island to Brooklyn
Completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge is the world’s first steel-wire suspension bridge. It is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. With a total length of 1825 meters upon completion it was the world’s longest bridge until 1903. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1964. Later in 1972, it became part of the National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
A steel suspension bridge erected across the East River, the Williamsburgh Bridge is one of New York City’s main river crossings. Williamsburg, where it finishes, inspired the name. The 7,308-foot-long bridge supports four two-lane vehicular roadways; a south roadway (inner and outer) and a north roadway (inner and outer), and two rapid transit tracks (J, M, and Z subway lines). The bridge contains a bikeway and a walkway as well. Opened in 1903, it is the second oldest of the East River suspension bridges. It is also the longest of the three bridges found in New York.
Originally dubbed as the “Bridge No. 3,” it was the last of the three suspension bridges built across the lower East River. The name changed to Manhattan Bridge in 1902. Seven years later in 1909, it was completed. However, the congestion on the Williamsburg and Brooklyn Bridges, another bridge across the lower East River was required. The 2,089-metre-long bridge consists of a double-deck motorway with four lanes on top and three lanes on the bottom. The American Society of Civil Engineers designated the bridge as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 2009, the bridge’s centennial year.
In 1950, the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel was the longest underwater vehicular tunnel in the United States. It was once the world’s second-longest tunnel, after the Queensway tunnel beneath the River Mersey in the United Kingdom. The tunnel connects Battery at Manhattan’s southern point to the Red Hook neighborhood in Brooklyn. The “Battery” in the tunnel’s name refers to an artillery battery that was originally stationed there during New York City’s early days. “Hugh L. Carey Tunnel” is the tunnel’s formal name in honor of the former governor, Hugh Carey, who resided in Brooklyn.
Going to Queens
One of the most ethnically diverse urban areas in the world, Queens is the largest of New York City’s five boroughs in terms of area. Manhattan is linked to Queens by the Queensboro Bridge and the Queens Midtown Tunnel.
The Queensboro Bridge connects the Long Island City neighborhood with the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Completed in 1909, it is a cantilever bridge that passes over Roosevelt Island. 59th Street Bridge is also the 1,135.2 meter long bridge’s name. This is because its Manhattan end is located between 59th and 60th streets.
The Queens Midtown Tunnel opened in 1940. It is a vehicular tunnel under the East River in New York City, connecting the boroughs of Manhattan and Queens. The 1,955 meter long tunnel consists of a pair of tubes, each carrying two lanes. The west end of the tunnel is located on the East Side of Midtown Manhattan, while the east end of the tunnel is located in Long Island City in Queens.
Manhattan Island to Bronx
With nearly a quarter of its land area dedicated to open space, Bronx is the cradle of rap and hip hop. The third most densely populated county in the is home to the New York Botanical Garden, Van Cortlandt Park, Woodlawn Cemetery, Pelham Bay Park, and the Bronx Zoo. The Third Avenue Bridge, Willis Avenue Bridge, and the Triborough Bridge (RFK Triborough Bridge) connect Manhattan to the Bronx.
Completed between 2001 and 2007, Third Avenue Bridge is a replacement bridge. It is the fourth bridge at the site which carries five lanes of traffic and two pedestrian walkways.
The Willis Avenue Bridge connects First Avenue in Manhattan with Willis Avenue in the Bronx. It is a swing bridge that accommodates northbound vehicle traffic. It lets bicycles and pedestrians through in both directions.
To Queens and Bronx
Opened in 1936, the Triborough Bridge connects Manhattan to Queens and Bronx. It is actually three bridges, a viaduct, and 14 miles of approach roads connecting Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx. Robert F. Kennedy Bridge is currently its name.
Manhattan Island to New Jersey
In terms of geographical size, New Jersey is the fifth-smallest state, but it is also one of the most urbanized and has one of the highest population densities in America. The George Washington Bridge, Lincoln Tunnel, and Holland Tunnel connect Manhattan to New Jersey.
The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the Hudson River and connects New York City to Fort Lee in Bergen County. The 1,450-meter bridge was the world’s longest suspension bridge. In 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco surpassed it. It was originally known as the “Hudson River Bridge” or the “Fort Washington-Fort Lee Suspension Bridge” until being formally named the George Washington Bridge in 1931. It does not connect two boroughs of the city, but rather two states.
A 1.5-mile long tunnel under the Hudson River, the Lincoln Tunnel connects Weehawken, New Jersey, to the west to Midtown Manhattan in New York City to the east. It opened in 1937. “Midtown Hudson Tunnel” was its original name.
The world’s first mechanically ventilated tunnel is the Holland Tunnel. It runs under the Hudson River, connecting Hudson Square in Lower Manhattan to the east with Jersey City in New Jersey to the west. Canal Street Tunnel or the Hudson River Vehicular Tunnel was its original name. In honor of the tunnel’s main engineer who passed away unexpectedly in 1924, Holland Tunnel is its name. He passed away before the tunnel officially opened.
Shaping New York
In New York, you will find everything you will ever need or want. There are so many bridges and tunnels in New York that it is easy to navigate the city. These bridges carry exchanged ideas, hopes, dreams, and fears. These bridges and tunnels are integral to the city’s growth. In different genres of art, they feature these bridges. You can check it out here.
Have you ever been to one of the bridges? Let us know in the comments!
