Brooklyn Bridge

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. It was opened on May 24, 1883, and was the first fixed crossing of the East River. The bridge has a main span of 1,595.5 feet and a deck 127 ft above Mean High Water. The Brooklyn Bridge is a major tourist attraction and has become an icon of New York City. It is designated a National Historic Landmark, a New York City landmark, and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. The bridge has a broad promenade above the roadway, which is of incalculable value in a crowded commercial city. The bridge's design is a brilliant feat of 19th-century engineering, and it was the first bridge to use steel for cable wire. The Brooklyn Bridge connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, supporting five lanes of vehicles, a pedestrian promenade, and a protected bicycle path