The ingenious creations of engineering have long ceased to be just crossings. Most often, modern bridges are the main attractions of cities that are worth seeing with your own eyes. Designs that appeared in the last century differ from their predecessors in using the latest technologies that turn architectural structures into real masterpieces.
Where is Verrazano Bridge located?
Convenient structures connecting two points above the pond are aesthetically attractive and fit perfectly into the surrounding space. The iconic architectural monument of the city of skyscrapers is the Verrazano Bridge, impressive in its scale, which until 1981 had the status of the longest in the world.
A powerful structure, laid across the Tacoma-Narrows Strait, connected the shores of two districts of New York - Brooklyn and Staten Island. Verrazano-Narrows Bridge has long been an integral part of the cityscape.
Crossing construction and related problems
R. Moses, an influential politician involved in urban issues, insisted on the construction of the suspension structure. Thanks to his work, the appearance of the modern metropolis has changed a lot.
The construction was named in honor of the Italian navigator Giovanni de Verrazano, who first entered the Hudson River in the 20s of the XVI century. Construction lasted five years and cost the treasury $ 320 million.
When it came to opening the bridge, the majority of Staten Island residents took part in the protests. The fact is that the indigenous inhabitants of the land area, surrounded on all sides by water, always lived in isolation, and the prospect of open access scared them. As it turned out, their fears were not in vain. Thanks to the emergence in 1964 of a new transport artery connecting the island with the mainland, the population of Staten Island has increased significantly and continues to grow.
However, it is still worth recognizing that the opening of the facility made life easier for people. Interstate 278 runs across the Verrazano Bridge, whose photo often appears in various magazines, connecting two states - New York and New Jersey. The suspension structure is an integral part of the giant transport system of the metropolis and the final link to the system of city highways.
Description of the bunk structure
The gateway to New York Harbor, often seen in American films, is a two-level structure. Each tier consists of six lanes for car traffic. The length of the central span of the Verrazano Suspension Bridge in the United States is 1,298 meters, and the side - 370 meters.
Structural bearing cables are suspended on pylons 211 meters high, which are visible from any area of the city. It is curious that the supports do not stand parallel to each other: the authors of the gigantic construction took into account the natural curvature of the earth's surface.
The suspension bridge was designed so that most cruise and commercial ships arriving in the city could pass under it without hindrance. A distance of almost 70 meters is provided between the underside of the structure and the water's edge. It is known that when creating the largest passenger liner Queen Mary 2, mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records, its creators made sure that the ocean vessel was able to pass under the crossing in New York.
Entry fee
Every day, about 200 thousand cars pass through Verrazano Bridge, owned by the city administration. Entrance to Staten Island is subject to a fixed fee of $ 17 (approximately 1,150 rubles) per vehicle. Drivers who drive in the opposite direction will not have to pay anything.
After the opening of the crossing, the inhabitants of the island took part in the strike: they demanded to change the order of tolls. But only in 1986, the inhabitants of Staten Island received a discount on fares.
A bridge devoid of footpaths
Passengers of public transport and cars can enjoy magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean and the beautiful harbor from above. But pedestrians and cyclists have to go around the structure, since there is no passage for them here. Initially, the project had a bike path and a pedestrian route, but Moses, afraid of suicide attempts on a high bridge, redid the original scheme.
For many years now, a human rights transport group advocating cycling and walking has been pushing for new tracks. However, authorities stated that they did not have the means to do so.
Interesting Facts
In 1888, the question was raised of building not a bridge, but a tunnel between the island and the mainland. However, this idea was soon abandoned.
To make way for an architectural work, more than 7 thousand people had to be evicted to the Bay Ridge, a district in southwestern Brooklyn.
The construction of the crossing was carried out by 12 thousand workers, who often demanded improvement of the security system. And not one of them was invited to open the Verrazano Bridge.
The lower tier of the structure was commissioned only in 1969.
The suspension structure became the very place where the main events of the cult film Saturday Night Fever took place.
Every year, the bridge runs the largest runners marathon in the world: almost 50 thousand athletes take part in a sporting event.
Photos of the Verrazano Bridge in New York, taken in the dark, are fascinating. In the shining light of night lights it looks majestic, and it is no coincidence that photographers from different countries flock here, they strive to capture the amazing beauty of the city's attractions.