The Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid cable-stayed/suspension bridge in New York City, spanning the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first fixed crossing of the East River. It was also the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time of its opening, with a main span of 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m) and a deck 127 ft (38.7 m) above mean high water. The span was originally called the New York and Brooklyn Bridge or the East River Bridge but was officially renamed the Brooklyn Bridge in 1915.

Brooklyn Bridge
View of the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan; the East River is in the foreground
Seen from Manhattan in September 2022
Coordinates
40.7057°N 73.9964°W
Carries
5 lanes of roadway (cars only)
Elevated trains (until 1944)
Streetcars (until 1950)
Pedestrians and bicycles
Crosses
East River
Locale
New York City (Civic Center, Manhattan – Dumbo/Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn)
Maintained by
New York City Department of Transportation
ID number
22400119[1]
Characteristics
Design
Suspension/Cable-stay Hybrid
Total length
6,016 ft (1,833.7 m; 1.1 mi)[a]
Width
85 ft (25.9 m)[5][6][8]
Height
272 ft (82.9 m) (towers)[3]
Longest span
1,595.5 ft (486.3 m)[5][6][8]
Clearance below
127 ft (38.7 m) above mean high water[9]
History
Designer
John Augustus Roebling
Constructed by
New York Bridge Company
Opened
May 24, 1883; 140 years ago[10]
Statistics
Daily traffic
121,930 (2019)[11]
Toll
Free both ways
Brooklyn Bridge
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
New York State Register of Historic Places
New York City Landmark No. 0098
Built
1869-1883
Architectural style
neo-Gothic
NRHP reference No.
66000523
NYSRHP No.
06101.001644
NYCL No.
0098
Significant dates
Added to NRHP
October 15, 1966[13]
Designated NHL
January 29, 1964[14]
Designated NYSRHP
June 23, 1980[12]
Designated NYCL
August 24, 1967[2]
Location
MapWikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
Proposals for a bridge connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn were first made in the early 19th century, which eventually led to the construction of the current span, designed by John A. Roebling. The project's chief engineer, his son Washington Roebling, contributed further design work, assisted by the latter's wife, Emily Warren Roebling. Construction started in 1870, with the Tammany Hall-controlled New York Bridge Company overseeing construction, although numerous controversies and the novelty of the design prolonged the project over thirteen years. Since opening, the Brooklyn Bridge has undergone several reconfigurations, having carried horse-drawn vehicles and elevated railway lines until 1950. To alleviate increasing traffic flows, additional bridges and tunnels were built across the East River. Following gradual deterioration, the Brooklyn Bridge has been renovated several times, including in the 1950s, 1980s, and 2010s.