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The Willis Avenue Bridge is a swing bridge that carries road traffic northbound (and bicycles and pedestrians both ways) over the Harlem River between the New York City
The bridge opened in 1901, at an original construction cost of $1,640,523.11 and a land cost of $803,988.37. It consisted of a swing span, and a fixed truss span. Major reinforcing work was done in 1916. However, in 1941, the bridge failed monthly inspection and therefore was converted to one-way operation northbound on August 5, 1941 on the same day the Third Avenue Bridge was similarly converted to one-way southbound.
Due to its poor condition, the bridge was replaced starting in 2007 and converted to pedestrian-only traffic for three years, and then was dismantled once a sidewalk was put in on the new bridge.
In November 2005, New York City sought to replace the bridge. In an effort to preserve the structure, the city offered it for sale for $1, with free delivery within 15 miles. Due to the difficult logistics of moving the structure, there were no bids as of March 2007. On April 12, 2011, granite from the structure was given to a nearby park while the metal part was moved via tug to Jersey City. The steel was melted down and the concrete parts were made into fill.
The Department of Transportation opted to construct a new structure to the south of the existing bridge at a projected cost of $417 million. On March 8, 2007, when bidding for construction was opened, of the two bids offered, the lowest came in at $612 million. Iris Weinshall, the department commissioner, said that the city had to go forward with the project because maintenance of the existing bridge was too expensive and the design of the ramps contributed to frequent accidents. This was the most costly bridge construction project by the New York City Department of Transportation. Weinshall expected the project to last five years with construction beginning around the end of 2007.
The replacement bridge was constructed at
NYCRoads.com: Willis Avenue Bridge Historic OverviewNew York City Department of Transportation - Willis Avenue Bridge
{{NYC Bridge Swing bridges in the United States Bridges completed in 1901 Bridges in the Bronx Bridges in Manhattan Bridges completed in 2010 Road bridges in New York City Harlem Bridges over the Harlem River Pedestrian bridges in New York City Metal bridges in the United States Truss bridges in the United States
boroughs
A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
In the Middle A ...
of Manhattan and the Bronx, United States. It connects First Avenue in Manhattan with Willis Avenue in the Bronx. The New York City Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining and operating the bridge.
The bridge is part of the course for the annual New York City Marathon. The runners, after crossing over from Manhattan to The Bronx via the bridge (which has been dubbed "the wall" because it marks the 20-mile point on the run) then follow a short course through the borough and return to Manhattan for the race's final leg via the Madison Avenue Bridge.
Between 2000 and 2014, the bridge opened for vessels 214 times.
History
Old bridge
The bridge opened in 1901, at an original construction cost of $1,640,523.11 and a land cost of $803,988.37. It consisted of a swing span, and a fixed truss span. Major reinforcing work was done in 1916. However, in 1941, the bridge failed monthly inspection and therefore was converted to one-way operation northbound on August 5, 1941 on the same day the Third Avenue Bridge was similarly converted to one-way southbound.
Due to its poor condition, the bridge was replaced starting in 2007 and converted to pedestrian-only traffic for three years, and then was dismantled once a sidewalk was put in on the new bridge.
New bridge
In November 2005, New York City sought to replace the bridge. In an effort to preserve the structure, the city offered it for sale for $1, with free delivery within 15 miles. Due to the difficult logistics of moving the structure, there were no bids as of March 2007. On April 12, 2011, granite from the structure was given to a nearby park while the metal part was moved via tug to Jersey City. The steel was melted down and the concrete parts were made into fill.
The Department of Transportation opted to construct a new structure to the south of the existing bridge at a projected cost of $417 million. On March 8, 2007, when bidding for construction was opened, of the two bids offered, the lowest came in at $612 million. Iris Weinshall, the department commissioner, said that the city had to go forward with the project because maintenance of the existing bridge was too expensive and the design of the ramps contributed to frequent accidents. This was the most costly bridge construction project by the New York City Department of Transportation. Weinshall expected the project to last five years with construction beginning around the end of 2007.
The replacement bridge was constructed at Port of Coeymans
A port is a maritime law, maritime facility comprising one or more Wharf, wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge Affreightment, cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can a ...
, 10 miles south of Albany. On July 13, 2010, the bridge was shipped down the Hudson on two barges that were welded together. The new bridge is 350 feet long, 65 feet high and 77 feet wide; it required three tugboats to propel it. The sight of the floating bridge caused a stir among onlookers all along the Hudson. After a stay at Port Jersey in Jersey City it was towed up the East River to its destination in the morning on July 26. Motor traffic was shifted to the new bridge on October 2, 2010, though the walkway of the old bridge continued to serve pedestrians and cyclists for a few weeks.
Just upstream, the Third Avenue Bridge carries southbound traffic across the Harlem River from the Bronx to Manhattan as the other side of a one-way pair. That bridge was replaced in 2004.
In popular culture
"Willis Avenue Bridge" is the name of a song byDavid Berkeley
David Berkeley (born David Berkeley Friedland, 22 September 1976) is an American singer and songwriter.
He has released four studio albums, one live album and has published a book, all of them self-produced under the ''Straw Man'' label, in a r ...
from his 2009 album '' Strange Light''.
"Beneath the Willis Bridge" is the name of the 2015 album released by 80 REEF.
In a famous publicity photo for the film Midnight Cowboy
''Midnight Cowboy'' is a 1969 American drama film, based on the 1965 novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy. The film was written by Waldo Salt, directed by John Schlesinger, and stars Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, with notable smaller ...
, Joe Buck and Ratso Rizzo (Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman) are seen walking on the old Willis Avenue Bridge.
Public transportation
The Willis Avenue Bridge carries the bus route operated byMTA New York City Transit
The New York City Transit Authority (also known as NYCTA, the TA, or simply Transit, and branded as MTA New York City Transit) is a public-benefit corporation in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City. Pa ...
. The route's average weekday ridership is 19,951.
References
External links
NYCRoads.com: Willis Avenue Bridge Historic Overview
{{NYC Bridge Swing bridges in the United States Bridges completed in 1901 Bridges in the Bronx Bridges in Manhattan Bridges completed in 2010 Road bridges in New York City Harlem Bridges over the Harlem River Pedestrian bridges in New York City Metal bridges in the United States Truss bridges in the United States