Brooklyn bridge where is it

Meanwhile, he earned a reputation as a designer of suspension bridges, which at the time were widely used but known to fail under strong winds or heavy loads. Roebling addressed these problems by combining structural elements from previous bridge designs—including cable arrays and stiffening trusses.

It would be the very first steel suspension bridge, boasting the longest span in the world: 1, feet from tower to tower. Just before construction began in , Roebling was fatally injured while taking a few final compass readings across the East River. A boat smashed the toes on one of his feet, and three weeks later he died of tetanus. His year-old son, Washington A. Roebling, took over as chief engineer.

Roebling had worked with his father on several bridges and had helped design the Brooklyn Bridge. To achieve a solid foundation for the bridge, workers excavated the riverbed in massive wooden boxes called caissons.

Each week, the caissons inched closer to the bedrock. When they reached a sufficient depth—44 feet on the Brooklyn side and 78 feet on the Manhattan side—they began backfilling the caisson with poured concrete and brick piers, working their way back up to the surface. Underwater, the workers in the caisson were uncomfortable—the hot, dense air gave them blinding headaches, itchy skin, bloody noses and slowed heartbeats—but relatively safe.

The journey to and from the depths of the East River, however, could be deadly. Between and , a comprehensive reconstruction took place. The inner and outer trusses were strengthened, new horizontal stays were installed between the four main cables, the railroad and trolley tracks were removed, the roadways were widened from two lanes to three lanes, and new approach ramps were constructed. Additional approach ramps to the FDR Drive were opened to traffic in The bridge and multiple Manhattan and Brooklyn lots comprising the approaches were designated as NYC Landmarks in A German immigrant named John Roebling had a brilliant idea: build a bridge, but build it really tall and really long, using braided steel cables to support the weight.

This was a completely new technology, but it worked, and the Brooklyn Bridge became the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time. The bridge was completed in , but sadly John Roebling passed away during its construction and never saw the finished product.

A trip to the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the best ways to see New York Harbor and the skylines of lower Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn.

At around feet tall, it towers above the surrounding landscapes, offering unbeatable views all the way to Staten Island and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. A quick glance north will also offer views of the Manhattan Bridge, the Williamsburg Bridge, and parts of Greenpoint and Queens neighborhoods.

On the Manhattan side, City Hall greets travelers with a park that features a majestic fountain surrounded by manicured trees and flower beds. Little after opening, 12 people were crushed whilst crossing the bridge by a human stampede because of rumours that it was collapsing. The Brooklyn Bridge was designed to avoid the problems that boats crossing the river faced when it was frozen during the winter months.

When it was built, Brooklyn and Manhattan were still independent cities. Since it was inaugurated, many people have dared to jump from the bridge , either as a bet or for the thrill of it.