Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is a suspension bridge located in New York City. It connects the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island. At the time of opening, it was the world’s longest suspension bridge with a 1,298 meters long main span. It was surpassed by Humber Bridge which opened in 1981.
It was named after Giovanni da Verrazano. He was the first European explorer who sailed into New York Harbour in 1524. Because of the problem of land acquisition, the total cost of this bridge was $325 million.
Quick Facts: –
- Verrazano-Narrows Bridge also provides the shortest route between the Middle Atlantic States and Long Island.
- This bridge was opened on November 21, 1964.
- The total weight of the bridge was 1,265,000 tonnes which made it the world’s heaviest bridge at that time.
- Approximately 12,000 men worked on the construction of Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
- There are no pedestrian walkways on this bridge. It only has lanes for cars.
- In order to make room for the bridge, approximately 7,000 people were displaced in Bay Ridge.
- The roadway of the bridge gets 12 feet lower during the summer season because of thermal expansion.
- The bridge’s chief architect Othmar Ammann designed a total of six New York City-area bridges.
- The lower deck of the bridge opened in 1969, much later as compared to the upper deck.
- It takes about 11,530 gallons of paint to fancy-up and protect the bridge.
