New York City – Bridges & Tunnels

On a recent episode of ‘Jeopardy’ on UK tv was a question about the number of bridges and tunnels in New York City. I was asked by my husband the question he had just seen. My guess was seven bridges and four tunnels. Boy was I way out with my guess. So it was a surprise to learn that the New York Department of Transport or DOT owns, operates and maintains 789 bridges and tunnels.

NYC DOT

Bridges including the Brooklyn, Ed Koch, Queensboro, Manhattan and Williamsburg as well as 24 moveable bridges and four tunnels are run by DOT and there are no tolls. Other bridges are operated by other agencies.

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On the Belt Parkway that runs through Brooklyn and Southern Queens, NYC DOT construction has been underway since 2009 to improve the approaches and bridges over the following roads: Bay Ridge Avenue, Gerritsen Inlet, Mill Basin, Paerdegat Basin, Rockaway Parkway and Fresh Creek Basin Bridges. all are original structures, built beginning in 1939. These bridges have outlived their useful lives and have to be replaced.

Across the five boroughs of New York City: Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Bronx and Staten Island there is an astonishing 2,207 bridges 10 of which have landmark status.

Manhattan has 21 bridges:

  • Ed Koch Bridge
  • Queensboro aka 59th Street Bridge
  • Brooklyn Bridge
  • Williamsburg Bridge
  • Manhattan Bridge
  • Willis Avenue Bridge
  • 3rd Avenue Bridge
  • Macoombs Dam Bridge
  • Madison Avenue Bridge
  • 145th Street Bridge
  • 127th Street Viaduct
  • University Heights Bridge
  • Broadway Bridge
  • Wards Island Bridge

Apparently the best bridge to walk on is Manhattan Bridge to get the best views of the city.

Between New Jersey and Manhattan the following bridges and tunnels have tolls although tolls are only collected when entering New York and not New Jersey.
 
  • George Washington Bridge
  • Lincoln Tunnel
  • Holland Tunnel
  • Bayonne Bridge
  • Goethals Bridge
  • Outerbridge Crossing

George Washington bridge is apparently the busiest bridge in the world. It has a total of 14 lanes. On the upper level there are four lanes in both directions and three lanes in each direction on the lower level.