Today, a New York City landmark celebrates one heck of an anniversary.
Manhattan Bridge, neighbor to Brooklyn Bridge celebrates 100 years of service today.
Manhattan Bridge has not always had an easy life. It took ten years to build her- 10 years of design changes and political wrangling before the East River got its fourth and much-needed bridge. Originally the famous bridge engineer Gustav Lindenthal was the bridge's designer, planning a span using eyebar chains instead of spun cable. But he was deposed from the job and the design massively changed to feature the type of main cables seen on the Brooklyn and Williamsburg bridges. Almost immediately, different names were attached to the new bridge- Third East River Bridge, and Manhattan Bridge. Somehow Manhattan bridge became the name that stuck, even though it was criticized for being bland and unimaginative. (Although why Brooklyn Bridge is an okay name and Manhattan is not beats the heck outta me!)
On dec 31, 1909, NYC's mayor McLellan led a procession across a partially finished Manhattan Bridge declaring it open, his last act in office.
Manhattan has had an interesting time of things since then. Her consulting engineer Leon Moissieff has been described as a brilliant man, but lacking a computer to help him. For some reason, the subway tracks were placed on the outer edges of the bridge, and over the years, these trains have been getting bigger and heavier. As much as 340 tons these days! Needless to say, that much weight on the outer lanes of the bridge causes serious torsional twisting and deflection, which have resulted in cracking of the steel structure.
Add to this the fact that for many years, Manhattan Bridge suffered from a chronic lack of maintenance, which could only be summed up as "patch, patch, patch".
Here's a video showing subway train induced movement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgXveBf_l6k
Don't worry, suspension bridges are flexible creatures!
Over the years, Manhattan Bridge has gone through a lot of rehabilitative surgery to try and correct the worst of the twisting and subsequent structural damage, to say nothing of playing catch up with all the corrosion that resulted from years of slipshod maintenance.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bri...attanbrg.shtml
It's been said that Manhattan Bridge is in better shape now than she's been in 50 years
Although she is still set to have her suspender ropes and necklace lights replaced, which should be done by 2012.
Sadly, this bridge has not recieved the love that her next-door neighbor Brooklyn Bridge does. I've only been able to find one book- "Manhattan Bridge: the troubled story of a new york monument", by Thomas Winpenny. (Exellent little book, btw, well worth looking for). And even the movies are not always kind to her. In "I am Legend", she was shown getting her center span shot out together with Brooklyn.
So here's to 100 rather interesting years, Manhattan Bridge! Here's hoping for at least another 100, hopefully they won't be as painful as the last century has been by times!
Now, here's some pictorial Manhattan-Love. This bridge is one sorely under-appreciated beauty!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ma...ridge_2007.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Shankbone.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...tan_bridge.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ower_Level.jpg
And Just for fun, another video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8XTd...eature=related
Manhattan Bridge and several other NYC icons feature in this video
And because I had to do it, the trailer for I am legend
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7CC0kbGj6s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcxxlYLDg2k&feature=fvw