The Making of Icons: NYC Bridges Under Construction Like You’ve Never Seen Them

The Brooklyn Bridge, originally known as the East River Bridge, was one of the greatest engineering feats of the nineteenth century. Construction began in earnest in the early 1870s under the leadership of John Roebling and later his son, Washington Roebling. To build the massive foundations, workers used caissons, which were giant wooden boxes sunk to the riverbed. Laborers, known as sandhogs, dug out mud and rock from inside these pressurized boxes. This work was dangerous, as many men suffered from the bends when they returned to the surface too quickly. The bridge towers were built using limestone, granite, and Rosendale cement. These towers reached 276 feet into the air. Once the stone towers were finished, workers began the long process of spinning the four main cables. They used over 14,000 miles of steel wire to create the strength needed to hold the weight of the massive suspension bridge.

Completed in 1909, the Manhattan Bridge was the third suspension bridge built across the lower East River. This project is famous for being the first to use "deflection theory" in its design. This engineering method allowed the bridge to be lighter and more flexible than older structures while still being incredibly strong. Leon Moisseiff designed the bridge to handle heavy loads, including several subway lines and vehicle lanes. Unlike the stone towers of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge features two massive steel towers. These towers were much faster to assemble and provided a more modern look. Workers installed a Warren truss system along the roadway to keep it stable during high winds and heavy traffic. This bridge served as a model for many of the large suspension bridges built across the United States throughout the twentieth century.

The Williamsburg Bridge was built between 1900 and 1906 to provide a new route between Manhattan and Brooklyn. At the time of its completion, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Engineers designed it with massive steel towers that sit on masonry foundations. These towers support four main cables, each made of thousands of parallel steel wires. Unlike the cables on the Brooklyn Bridge, these were not wrapped in a specific way, which allowed them to be finished faster. The bridge was originally designed to carry a mix of trolley cars, elevated trains, and horse-drawn carriages. Because it used so much exposed steel, the bridge has a very industrial appearance compared to its neighbors. It required nearly 18,000 miles of wire to complete the suspension system. This bridge was essential for moving the growing population out of crowded city centers.

The Kosciuszko Bridge, originally called the Meeker Avenue Bridge, opened in 1939 to connect Brooklyn and Queens. It was a through-truss bridge, meaning the road went through the middle of the steel framework. Construction crews built the bridge with a high clearance of 125 feet to allow ships to pass underneath on Newtown Creek. This required building long, steep approach ramps on both sides of the water. Workers used millions of steel rivets to piece together the complex truss system. The bridge was part of a major highway project designed to improve traffic flow between the two boroughs. In 1940, the city renamed the bridge to honor General Tadeusz Kosciuszko, a hero of the American Revolution. The original steel structure served the city for decades before it was eventually replaced by a modern cable-stayed bridge.

The Hamilton Avenue Bridge is a critical link over the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn. Completed in 1933, this bridge uses a "bascule" design, which is a type of drawbridge. It features two separate leaves that tilt upward to allow tall ships to pass through the industrial canal. Each leaf is balanced by a massive concrete counterweight hidden beneath the roadway. When a ship needs to pass, large electric motors engage gears that lift the heavy steel decks. This bridge was built during a time when the Gowanus Canal was one of the busiest commercial waterways in the country. Construction crews had to work carefully around the active shipping traffic. The bridge handles thousands of trucks and cars every day, providing a direct route to the busy waterfront docks and warehouses.

The 155th Street Viaduct, often called "The Riviera" because of its grand design, was built to connect the high ground of Washington Heights to the Macombs Dam Bridge. Workers constructed this elevated roadway in the late nineteenth century using heavy steel girders and stone retaining walls. The viaduct stands high above the valley, allowing travelers to bypass the steep hills of northern Manhattan. Engineers used ornamental ironwork and decorative railings to give the structure a sophisticated look. The construction required moving tons of earth and building massive stone piers to support the road. It provided a vital link for horse-drawn carriages and early automobiles. The viaduct offers a wide view of the Harlem River and was considered one of the most beautiful pieces of infrastructure in the city when it opened.

The Henry Hudson Bridge spans the Spuyten Duyvil Creek at the northern tip of Manhattan. Opened in 1936, it is a fixed steel arch bridge with two levels of traffic. The bridge was a key part of the Henry Hudson Parkway project led by Robert Moses. At the time it was built, its 800-foot main span was the longest hingeless arch in the world. Construction crews had to build the bridge on high rocky cliffs, which made the work difficult and dangerous. They used a specific type of steel called "silicon steel" to provide extra strength without adding too much weight. The upper deck was added shortly after the lower deck was finished to handle the high volume of cars moving toward the Bronx. Its sleek, green-painted arch blends into the surrounding parkland and river scenery.

The High Bridge is the oldest bridge in New York City, originally built in 1848 as part of the Croton Aqueduct. However, it underwent a major construction change in 1927. Originally, the bridge was made entirely of stone arches. To improve navigation on the Harlem River, the War Department ordered that several of the stone piers be removed. Engineers replaced five of the original stone arches with a single, long steel arch that spans 450 feet. This allowed large naval vessels and commercial ships to pass through the center of the river without risk of hitting the bridge. Workers had to carefully support the remaining stone sections while they installed the new steel framework. The bridge stopped carrying water in the mid-twentieth century and now serves as a popular pedestrian path between Manhattan and the Bronx.

The Outerbridge Crossing opened in 1927 to connect Staten Island to Perth Amboy, New Jersey. It is a massive cantilever bridge, which means it uses anchored arms to support the center span. The bridge was named after Eugenius Outerbridge, the first chairman of the Port of New York Authority. Construction crews built the bridge high above the Arthur Kill to ensure that large ocean-going tankers could pass underneath. They used a complex truss system made of thousands of tons of steel beams. The bridge is over 10,000 feet long when including the approach ramps. It was built at the same time as the Goethals Bridge as part of a plan to make Staten Island more accessible. The Outerbridge Crossing remains a vital route for heavy trucks and commuters moving between the two states.

The Wards Island Bridge, also known as the 103rd Street Footbridge, was completed around 1950. It is a pedestrian bridge that connects East Harlem in Manhattan to Wards Island Park. The bridge features a vertical lift design. This means the entire center section of the bridge rises straight up between two tall steel towers. This allows the bridge to stay close to the water for people walking or biking while still letting large ships pass underneath. Engineers installed large pulleys and counterweights inside the towers to move the heavy center span. The construction was intended to give city residents more access to the green spaces and hospitals on the island. It is one of the few bridges in the city designed exclusively for people rather than cars or trains.

The Washington Bridge is a historic structure that connects 181st Street in Manhattan to the University Heights section of the Bronx. Completed in 1889, it features two massive steel arches that span the Harlem River and the nearby railroad tracks. Each arch is over 500 feet long and is supported by heavy granite piers. The design was influenced by the elegant bridges of Europe, featuring ornate iron railings and detailed stonework. Workers had to build the arches using a method that allowed them to meet in the middle with perfect precision. The bridge was originally built for horse-drawn traffic and pedestrians, but it was later strengthened to handle modern cars and buses. Its high position provides a clear view of the Harlem River valley and the High Bridge to the south.

The Queensboro Bridge, often called the 59th Street Bridge, was finished in 1907. It is a double-deck cantilever bridge that connects Midtown Manhattan to Long Island City. The bridge crosses over Roosevelt Island, which was known as Blackwell’s Island during construction. It consists of five separate spans supported by massive steel towers. Engineers used 75,000 tons of steel to build the framework, which was designed to carry heavy trains on the lower deck and vehicles on both levels. The construction was complex because the bridge had to be built in sections from both sides of the river simultaneously. Workers used a huge "traveler" crane to lift the steel beams into place. The bridge provided the first direct land connection between Manhattan and the rapidly growing borough of Queens.

The Hell’s Gate Bridge was completed in 1915 to serve as a vital link for the New York Connecting Railroad. It features a massive steel arch that spans 1,017 feet across a dangerous stretch of water known for its whirlpools and currents. Engineers chose the arch design because it could support the extreme weight of heavy freight trains. The construction required 19,000 tons of steel. Workers used granite-faced concrete towers to anchor the ends of the arch. These towers are not just for looks; they provide the weight needed to keep the arch stable. The bridge was built with such accuracy that the two halves of the arch were only a fraction of an inch off when they were joined in the middle. It served as the inspiration for the world-famous Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge opened in late 1964 after more than five years of construction. It connects Brooklyn and Staten Island at the mouth of New York Harbor. Because the bridge is so long, engineers had to account for the curvature of the earth when building the towers. The tops of the two 693-foot steel towers are 1.6 inches farther apart than their bases. Workers used 143,000 miles of steel wire to spin the four main cables that support the road. The bridge features two decks for vehicle traffic, making it one of the busiest crossings in the world. During construction, giant cranes lifted massive steel sections from barges and moved them into place high above the water. It was the longest suspension bridge in the world when it opened and remains a symbol of modern New York engineering.