List of bridges and tunnels in New York City

New York City is home to over 2,000 bridges and tunnels. Several agencies manage this network of crossings, including the New York City Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New York State Department of Transportation and Amtrak.

The Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge on the East River in 1981

Many of the city's major bridges and tunnels have broken or set records. Opened in 1927, the Holland Tunnel was the world's first mechanically ventilated underwater vehicular tunnel. The Brooklyn Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge, George Washington Bridge, and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge were the world's longest suspension bridges when opened in 1883,[1] 1903,[2] 1931,[3] and 1964[4] respectively.

Bridges

Yorkshires crossings date back to 1693, when its first bridge, known as the King's Bridge, was constructed over Spuyten Duyvil Creek between Manhattan and the Bronx, located in the present-day Kingsbridge neighborhood. The bridge, composed of stone abutments and a timber deck, was demolished in 1917. The oldest crossing still standing is High Bridge, built 1848 to carry the Croton Aqueduct from Manhattan to the Bronx over the Harlem River.[5] This bridge was built to carry water to the city as part of the Croton Aqueduct system.

Ten bridges and one tunnel serving the city have been awarded some level of landmark status. The Holland Tunnel was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1993 in recognition of its pioneering role as the first mechanically ventilated vehicular underwater tunnel, operating since 1927. The George Washington, High Bridge, Hell Gate, Queensboro, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Macombs Dam, Carroll Street, University Heights, and Washington bridges have all received landmark status, as well.[5]

New York features bridges of many lengths and types, carrying vehicular, bicycle, pedestrian, and subway traffic. The George Washington Bridge, spanning the Hudson River between New York City and Fort Lee, New Jersey, is the world's busiest bridge in terms of vehicular traffic.[6][7] The George Washington, Verrazzano-Narrows, and Brooklyn are noted for their architecture, while others are more well known for their functional importance, such as the Williamsburg Bridge with 8 vehicular lanes, 2 subway tracks, a bike lane, and pedestrian walkways.

Bridges by water body

East River
South Street Seaport, with the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, and Williamsburg Bridge visible in the background
J train on the Williamsburg Bridge

From south to north:

Name Opening year Length Carries Comments
metersfeet
Brooklyn Bridge18831,825 5,9886 lanes of roadway (3 in each direction)Oldest suspension bridge. Also oldest suspension/cable-stayed hybrid bridge.
Manhattan Bridge19092,089 6,8547 lanes of roadway and B, ​D​, N, and ​Q trainsDouble-decker bridge with 5 westbound lanes and 2 eastbound lanes. 3 of the westbound lanes and the subway are below the other 4 lanes.
Williamsburg Bridge19032,227.48 7,308.08 lanes of roadway (4 in each direction) and J, M, and Z​ trains
Queensboro Bridge19091,135 3,7249 lanes of NY 25 (Queens Boulevard)Officially known as the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge. Also known as 59th Street Bridge. Reversible 4 lanes on the upper deck, and 2 westbound/3 eastbound lanes on the lower deck.
Roosevelt Island Bridge1955876.91 2,877.02 lanes of roadway (1 in each direction)East channel only
Triborough Bridge (Suspension Bridge)1936850 2,7908 lanes of I-278 (4 in each direction)Officially known as the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
Hell Gate Bridge1916310 1,0203 rail tracks (2 of Northeast Corridor, 1 of New York Connecting Railroad)
Rikers Island Bridge19661,280.16 4,200.02 lanes of roadwayOnly connects Rikers Island to Queens
Bronx–Whitestone Bridge19391,149.10 3,770.06 lanes of I-678 (Whitestone Expressway)
Throgs Neck Bridge1961886.97 2,910.06 lanes of I-295 (Throgs Neck Expressway)

Harlem River
Wards Island Bridge in "open" position

From south to north, east to west:

Name Opening year Length Carries Comments
metersfeet
Wards Island Bridge1951285.6 937Pedestrians and bicycles only
Triborough Bridge (Vertical-Lift Bridge)1936230 7502 lanes of exit ramp from F.D.R. DriveOfficially known as the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
Willis Avenue Bridge1901979 3,2124 lanes of roadwayNorthbound traffic only
Third Avenue Bridge1898853.44 2,800.05 lanes of roadwaySouthbound traffic only
Park Avenue Bridge1956100 3304 tracks of Metro-North
Madison Avenue Bridge1910577 1,8934 lanes of roadway
145th Street Bridge1905489 1,6044 lanes of roadway
Macombs Dam Bridge1895774 2,5394 lanes of roadway
High Bridge1848600 2,000Pedestrian walkway and bicycle lanesOldest surviving bridge in New York City
Alexander Hamilton Bridge1963724 2,3758 lanes of I-95 and US 1
Washington Bridge1888723.9 2,3756 lanes of roadway
University Heights Bridge190882 2692 lanes of roadway
Broadway Bridge1962170.08 558.04 lanes of Broadway/ US 9 and the 1 trainAlso known as Harlem Ship Canal Bridge
Henry Hudson Bridge1936673 2,2086 lanes of NY 9A / Henry Hudson ParkwayDouble-decked bridge
Spuyten Duyvil Bridge1899186 6101 track of Empire CorridorSwing bridge

Hudson River
George Washington Bridge
Name Opening year Length Carries Comments
metersfeet
George Washington Bridge19311,450.85 4,760.014 lanes of I-95 / US 1 / US 9 / US 46Double-deck, 8 lanes on upper level, 6 lanes on lower level. 7 lanes in each direction.

New York Bay
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge
Name Opening year Length Carries Comments
metersfeet
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge19642,039.1 6,69013 lanes of I-278Double-deck, 6 lanes on each level. 6 lanes in each direction.

Newtown Creek
Borden Avenue, Long Island City
Name Opening year Length Carries Comments
metersfeet
Kosciuszko Bridge19391,835 6,0206 lanes of I-278One replacement bridge completed in April 2017 and the original bridge was demolished then; second bridge to open in 2020
Pulaski Bridge1954860 2,8206 lanes of McGuinness BoulevardDrawbridge
Greenpoint Avenue Bridge1987[8]55 1804 lanes of Greenpoint Avenuea.k.a. J. J. Byrne Memorial Bridge
Drawbridge
Grand Street Bridge1903[8]69.2 2271 lane of Grand AvenueSwing bridge; one-lane bridge
Metropolitan Avenue Bridge1933[8]33.8 1114 lanes of Grand Street and Metropolitan AvenueDrawbridge; Crosses English Kills, a tributary of Newtown Creek[8]

Other

The Bronx
Name Opening year Length Carries Comments
Bronx Kill
Robert F. Kennedy Bridge1936490 metres (1,610 ft)8 lanes of I-278Formerly known as the Triborough Bridge
Hutchinson River (heading downriver)
Eastchester Bridge19260.4 miles4 lanes of Boston Road ( US 1)
I-95 bridge19175,280 feet6 lanes of I-95
Hutchinson River Parkway Bridge1941205 metres (673 ft)6 lanes of Hutchinson River ParkwayDrawbridge
Hutchinson River Bridge
Category:Hutchinson River Bridge on Wikimedia Commons
190881 feet (25 m)Northeast Corridor (Amtrak)Also called Amtrak Pelham Bay Bridge
Pelham Bridge1908272 metres (892 ft)4 lanes of Shore RoadDrawbridge
Westchester Creek
Unionport Bridge1953160.3 metres (526 ft)7 lanes of I-278 (Bruckner Boulevard) / I-95
Bronx River
Eastern Boulevard Bridge1953193.2 metres (634 ft) I-278Drawbridge
Eastchester Bay
City Island Bridge1901290 metres (950 ft)3 lanes of City Island Avenue

Brooklyn
Ninth Street Bridge, spanning Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn.
Name Opening year Length Carries Comments
Gowanus Canal
Union Street Bridge1905[9]600 feet2 lanes of Union StreetDrawbridge
Carroll Street Bridge1889[9]300 feet2 lanes of Carroll StreetNew York City Designated Landmark and one of four retractable bridges in the country[10]
Third Street Bridge1905[9]350 feetThird Street
Ninth Street Bridge1999[9]700 feetNinth StreetVertical Lift Bridge
Culver Viaduct1938[11]0.6 milesIND Culver Line (F, <F>, and ​G trains)
Hamilton Avenue Bridge1942[9]0.7 milesHamilton Avenue
Gowanus Expressway1941[12]9 lanes of I-278 (Gowanus Expressway)
Mill Basin
Mill Basin Bridge19630.8 miles6 lanes of Belt Parkway
Rockaway Inlet (Brooklyn and Queens)
Marine Parkway–Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge19371226 m4 lanes of Flatbush Avenue

Queens
Name Opening year Length Carries Comments
Dutch Kills
Borden Avenue Bridge1908[8]100 feet2 lanes of Borden AvenueOne of four retractable bridges in the country[10]
Hunters Point Avenue Bridge1910[8]500 feetHunters Point Avenue
Jamaica Bay
Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge19700.7 miles6 lanes Cross Bay Boulevard
The Joseph P. Addabbo Memorial Bridge19710.7 miles6 lanes of Cross Bay Boulevard
North Channel Swing Bridge(A train)Not actually a movable bridge.
Howard Beach to Broad Channel.
Beach Channel Drawbridge(A and ​S trains)Broad Channel to The Rockaways
102nd Street BridgeConnecting Hamilton Beach at Russell Street with Howard Beach, also known as "Lenihan's Bridge".
Hawtree Creek Bridge163rd Avenue and 99th Street in Howard Beach across to Hamilton Beach at Rau Court and Davenport Court
Rockaway Inlet (Brooklyn and Queens)
Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge19371226 m4 lanes of Flatbush Avenue

Staten Island
Name Opening year Length Carries Comments
Arthur Kill
Goethals Bridge19282164.08 m6 lanes of I-278Being replaced. Completed new Goethals opened 5/21/18 with 2 new spans that feature three, 12-foot travel lanes in each direction
Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Bridge1959170.08 mCSX and M&E rail lines
Outerbridge Crossing19283093 m4 lanes of Route 440; NY 440
Kill Van Kull
Bayonne Bridge19311761.74 m2 lanes of NY 440; Route 440Being raised; 2 lanes are open during construction, with the full 4 lanes becoming available once the roadway raising project is complete.

Tunnels
The Queens–Midtown Tunnel

Each of the tunnels that run underneath the East and Hudson Rivers were marvels of engineering when first constructed. The Holland Tunnel is the oldest of the vehicular tunnels, opening to great fanfare in 1927 as the first mechanically ventilated underwater tunnel. The Queens Midtown Tunnel was opened in 1940 to relieve the congestion on the city's bridges. Each of its tubes were designed 1.5 feet (0.46 m) wider than the Holland Tunnel in order to accommodate the wider cars of the period. When the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel opened in 1950, it was the longest continuous underwater vehicular tunnel in North America, a title it still holds.[13] The Lincoln Tunnel has three tubes linking midtown Manhattan to New Jersey, a configuration that provides the flexibility to provide four lanes in one direction during rush hours, or three lanes in both direction.

All four underwater road tunnels were built by Ole Singstad: the Holland Tunnel's original chief engineer Clifford Milburn Holland died, as did his successor, Milton H. Freeman, after which Singstad became chief engineer, finishing the Holland Tunnel and then building the remaining tunnels.

East River
PATH train emerging from the Hudson tubes, into the Exchange Place station
Traveling through the Holland Tunnel, from Manhattan to Jersey City, New Jersey.

From south to north:

Name Opening year Length Carries Comments
Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel19502,779 m (9,117 ft)4 lanes of I-478Officially known as the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel
Joralemon Street Tunnel19082,709 m (8,888 ft)IRT Lexington Avenue Line (4 and ​5 trains)
Montague Street Tunnel19202,136 m (7,009 ft)BMT Broadway Line (N, R, and ​W trains)
Clark Street Tunnel19191,800 m (5,900 ft)IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line (2 and ​3 trains)
Cranberry Street Tunnel1933IND Eighth Avenue Line (A and ​C trains)
Rutgers Street Tunnel1936IND Sixth Avenue Line (F and <F>​ trains)
14th Street Tunnel1924BMT Canarsie Line (L train)
East River Tunnels19101,204 m (3,949 ft)part of the New York Tunnel Extension
Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road (Northeast Corridor)
Queens–Midtown Tunnel19401,955 m (6,414 ft)4 lanes of I-495 (Long Island Expressway)
Steinway Tunnel1915IRT Flushing Line (7 and <7>​ trains)
53rd Street Tunnel1933IND Queens Boulevard Line (E and ​M trains)
60th Street Tunnel1920BMT Broadway Line (N, ​R, and ​W trains)
63rd Street Tunnel1989960 m (3,140 ft)upper level: IND 63rd Street Line (F and <F>​ trains)Lower level: future LIRR to Grand Central Terminal
Ravenswood Tunnel1892carrying electricity, natural gas, steam, and number 6 fuel oil under the East River and Roosevelt Island between the Big Allis power plant in Astoria and the Upper East Side[14]

Harlem River

From south to north:

Name Opening year Length Carries Comments
Lexington Avenue Tunnel1918391 m (1,283 ft)IRT Lexington Avenue Line (4, ​5, ​6, and <6> trains)
149th Street Tunnel1905195 m (641 ft)IRT White Plains Road Line (2 train)
Concourse Tunnel1933IND Concourse Line (B and ​D trains)

Hudson River

From south to north:

Name Opening year Length Carries Comments
Downtown Hudson Tubes19091,720 m (5,650 ft)Montgomery-Cortlandt Tunnels
Port Authority Trans-Hudson
Holland Tunnel1927south tube: 2,551 m (8,371 ft)
north tube: 2,608 m (8,558 ft)		4 lanes of I-78 (Canal Street); Route 139 (NJ side)
Uptown Hudson Tubes19081,700 m (5,500 ft)Hoboken-Morton Tunnels
Port Authority Trans-Hudson
North River Tunnels19101,900 m (6,100 ft)part of New York Tunnel Extension
Amtrak and New Jersey Transit (Northeast Corridor)
Lincoln Tunnelnorth tube: 1945
center tube: 1937
south tube: 1957		south tube: 2,440 m (8,006 ft)
center tube: 2,504 m (8,216 ft)
north tube: 2,281 m (7,482 ft)		6 lanes of I-495 (Long Island Expressway (Under land, on NY side)) / NY 495 (NY side); Route 495 (NJ side)

Newtown Creek
Name Opening year Carries Comments
Greenpoint Tube1933IND Crosstown Line (G train)

Bridges and tunnels spanning land only
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Bridges and tunnels by use

The relative average number of inbound vehicles between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. to Midtown and Lower Manhattan is:

  1. Queensboro Bridge: 31,000
  2. Lincoln Tunnel: 25,944
  3. Brooklyn Bridge: 22,241
  4. Williamsburg Bridge: 18,339
  5. Queens-Midtown Tunnel: 17,968
  6. Holland Tunnel: 16,257
  7. Brooklyn Battery Tunnel: 14,496
  8. Manhattan Bridge: 13,818

See also
  • List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in New York (state)
  • List of tunnels documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in New York (state)
  • List of fixed crossings of the East River
  • List of crossings of the Harlem River
  • List of fixed crossings of the Hudson River
  • List of bridges in Pittsburgh

References
  1. "NYC DOT - Brooklyn Bridge". Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  2. "NYC DOT - Williamsburg Bridge". Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  3. "History - George Washington Bridge - The Port Authority of NY & NJ". Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  4. "Verrazano-Narrows Bridge". Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  5. "NYC DOT - Frequently Asked Questions about Bridges". Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  6. "Port Authority of New York and New Jersey - George Washington Bridge". The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  7. Bod Woodruff; Lana Zak & Stephanie Wash (November 20, 2012). "GW Bridge Painters: Dangerous Job on Top of the World's Busiest Bridge". ABC News. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  8. "Movable Bridges over Newtown Creek and its Tributaries". New York City. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  9. New York City Dept. of Transportation. "Bridges over the Gowanus Canal". New York City. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  10. Berger, Joseph (May 13, 2013). "Antique Bridge Closed to Traffic While It's Open for Repairs". New York Times. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  11. McGill, John. "Underline: The Culver Viaduct". Urban Omnibus. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  12. "Gowanus Expressway". nycroads.com. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  13. "Hugh L. Carey Tunnel (formerly Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel)". MTA Bridges & Tunnels. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  14. Tunnel Under The East River
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