| It's a bridge many New Yorkers take for granted, because they mostly use it to commute from Manhattan to Queens. But it actually has a remarkable history. It is made of 75,000 tons of steel.
In 1909, the year it was completed, it could carry heavier loads than any other bridge in the United States. Its original version had a line for trolleys which took locals to Astoria, Flushing, and other parts of Queens. It also had a car elevator that would drop off people in Roosevelt Island, located in the middle of the East River.
If you're taking a taxi from Manhattan to JFK or LaGuardia Airports you are likely to cross this bridge. Don't forget to look out the windows behind you; the entire midtown Manhattan skyline will be on display.
It's also possible to walk this bridge. The path is three-quarters of a mile long, and you'll get views of Long Island City, the East River, and Manhattan's Upper East Side (including the United Nations headquarters). The pedestrian entrance on the Manhattan side is East 60th Street between First and Second Avenues. From Queens it is at Crescent Street and Queens Plaza North. |
