Manhattan Bridge (original) (raw)

The Manhattan Bridge is a suspension bridge in New York. This bridge was completed on December 31, 1909. It has 4 vehicular lanes on the upper level, 3 vehicle lanes, 4 railway/subway tracks and a walkway on the lower level. It connects Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn. The upper levels has 2 lanes each direction, the lower level can be one-way in peak direction or 2 lanes one direction and the other lane in the opposite direction.

The bridge has had many disruptions in subway service, beginning in 1984. The bridge has 2 sets of train tracks, 2 each (4 total). They are know as the "North tracks" and the "South tracks". The North tracks connect to the IND 6th Avenue lines, while the South tracks connect to the BMT Broadway lines. The south tracks were closed in 1986, again in 1988, then again in 1990. They were not reopened to trains until July 22, 2001. The North tracks, which have been more heavily used were closed in 1995 and again in 2001. They will not see trains again until February 22, 2004. Part of the problem is that the bridge had poor design and trains make the bridge sway and tilt, causing damage. The damage and repairs require MTA New York City Transit to close the affected tracks.

A new pedestrian walkway opened in 2001.