Manhattan Bridge in New York (USA) - a bridge connecting Brooklyn with Manhattan

In 1901 Gustav Lindenthal, commissioner of the newly created New York Department for bridges, presented plans to build the Manhattan Bridge. The chief engineer was R. S. Buck.

Two years after the start of work, Lindenthal presented a modified bridge construction project, involving the use of chains instead of ropes in some places. In addition, he represented the construction of four columns in each tower.

The owner of the bridge is the city of New York. Bridge reconstruction costs totaling up to USD 646 million have been covered by the city of New York and the state of New York.

322 ft high towers carry four long cables at 3,242 feet and 21 1/4 inch diameter each (at that time they were the widest cables used to support bridges).

The spans are respectively 725, 1470 and 725 feet long

The distance from the water surface is 135 feet.

Pedestrians can pass through the bridge and can also pass motorcycles, cars and even trains. The bridge consists of two levels: the lower one - containing 4 car traffic lanes, 2 each side, and 2 side tracks for trains; and the upper one - containing streets for cars. After the addition of 3 lanes in 1940, the bridge currently contains a total of 7 road lanes, 4 railways and a pedestrian crossing.

It is estimated that 150,000 vehicles pass through the bridge every day. And during the weekends, 276 trains cross the bridge on average, and around 220,000 people are carried by trains a day.

In 1978, a group of engineers led by Weidlinger began work on the renovation of the bridge. Among other things, in the summer of 2001, the installation of steel supports on the south side of the bridge was completed, reducing the deviations of the bridge during the passage of trains. By 2004, many rusty and detached sites will be repaired, it is estimated that it will prolong the life of the bridge for another 50 years.

In the first weekend after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, the Manhattan Bridge was closed to all traffic, except for ambulances.