Williamsburg Bridge

Williamsburg Bridge
View from Brooklyn towards Manhattan, 2022
Coordinates	40°42′45″N 73°58′21″W / 40.7125°N 73.9725°W / 40.7125; -73.9725
Carries	8 lanes of roadway 2 tracks of the ​ trains of the New York City Subway Pedestrians and bicycles Streetcar tracks (until 1948)
Crosses	East River
Locale	Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York City
Maintained by	New York City Department of Transportation
ID number	2240039[1]
Characteristics
Design	Suspension bridge and truss causeways
Total length	7,308 feet (2,227 m)
Width	118 feet (36 m)
Longest span	1,600 feet (490 m)
Clearance above	10 feet 6 inches (3.2 m) (inner roadways only)
Clearance below	135 feet (41 m) at mean high water
History
Architect	Henry Hornbostel
Designer	Leffert L. Buck
Opened	December 20, 1903; 120 years ago (December 20, 1903)
Statistics
Daily traffic	105,465 (2016)[2]
Toll	Free
Location

The Williamsburg Bridge is a suspension bridge across the East River in New York City, connecting the Lower East Side of Manhattan with the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. Originally known as the East River Bridge, the Williamsburg Bridge was completed in 1903 and, at 7,308 feet (2,227 m) long, was the longest suspension bridge span in the world until 1924.

Proposed in January 1892, the bridge project was approved in 1895. Work began on June 19, 1896, under chief engineer Leffert L. Buck. Despite delays and funding shortfalls, the bridge opened on December 19, 1903. In addition to roads, walkways, and New York City Subway tracks, the bridge had four trolley tracks, which were replaced with roads in 1936 and 1949. The bridge underwent a substantial renovation in the 1980s and 1990s following the discovery of severe structural defects, and it was again being renovated in the 2020s.

The Williamsburg Bridge's main span is 1,600 feet (490 m) long and is carried on four main cables, which are suspended from two 335-foot (102 m) towers. Unlike similar suspension bridges, the side spans are supported by trusswork and additional towers. The 118-foot-wide (36 m) deck carries eight lanes of vehicular traffic, two subway tracks, and two walkway and bike paths that merge in Manhattan. The bridge is one of four free vehicular bridges between Manhattan Island and Long Island maintained by the New York City Department of Transportation, along with the Queensboro Bridge to the north and the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges to the south.