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Triborough Bridge Project
Society
Main Category
Sub Category
Era
Date Created
Location Country
us
Coordinates
40.78, -73.926667
Address1
Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
Address2
Harlem River
City
New York
State
Country
Zip

The Triborough Bridge Project is a three-branched waterway crossing that connects Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens at a junction of the East River and the Harlem River in New York City. The complex structure includes a suspension bridge from Wards Island to Queens, a vertical lift span from Randall's Island to Manhattan, a fixed span (designed to be convertible to a lift span) across the Bronx Kills, viaducts, and an innovative three-legged roadway interchange.

To meet the project's aggressive construction schedule, over 2,000 study drawings and 9,000 working drawings were created in just 30 months. As many as 250 engineers were hired to supervise the 65 individual project contracts.

The bridge was the first one built by the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA) during the Great Depression. It proved that toll bridges in New York could generate significant revenue, and this structure's financial success led to the funding of several subsequent TBTA crossings.

In 2008, the bridge was officially renamed the Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Bridge who served New York as a senator.

The Triborough Bridge Project, a three and a half mile, three-branched waterway crossing, is comprised of a major suspension bridge, a large vertical lift span, a fixed span designed to be convertible to a lift span, a long viaduct, and an innovative three-legged roadway interchange. It is an early example of the complete planning and development of a major transportation project in an urban environment.
Image Credit
Public Domain (National Park Service)
Image Caption
Triborough Bridge Project

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