Williamsburg_Bridge

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. Leffert L. Buck was the bridge's chief engineer.
What is now the Williamsburg Bridge was first proposed in January 1892 but was not approved until 1895, when Buck was hired as the bridge's chief engineer. Work commenced on June 19, 1896, although the project experienced delays and funding shortfalls. The bridge opened on December 19, 1903, and originally had four trolley tracks in addition to vehicular lanes, walkways, and New York City Subway tracks. The trolley tracks were replaced with additional roadways 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 in turn are suspended from two towers that measure 335 feet (102 m) high. 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, the others being the Queensboro Bridge to the north, and the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges to the south.