Bridge Facts

Total length of bridge and approaches: 6,016 feet Main span: 1,595.5 feet Clearance at center: 135 feet

History

The Brooklyn Bridge was designed by John A. Roebling. Construction began in 1869 and was completed in 1883. At the time, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. The Brooklyn Bridge connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River. Because of the elevation of the span above the East River and the relatively low-lying shores, the rest of the bridge, sloping down ... to ground level, extends quite far inland on both sides of the river. Between 1944 and 1954, 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 1969. The Brooklyn Bridge was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1972. The bridge and multiple Manhattan and Brooklyn lots comprising the approaches were designated as NYC Landmarks in 1967. In recent decades, the structure has been refurbished to handle the traffic demands during its second century. In September 2021, a two-way protected bike lane opened along the Brooklyn Bridge, repurposing one lane of vehicular traffic to accommodate the rise of cycling in NYC.

About the Bridge

The iconic Brooklyn Bridge connects Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn Heights. Known for its stone arches, the Brooklyn Bridge supports six lanes of vehicles (no trucks) and a shared pedestrian and bicycle path. As of 2018, an average of over 116,000 vehicles, 30,000 pedestrians and 3,000 cyclists travel over the Brooklyn Bridge each day.