Cities with bridges and/or tunnels

[iheartthed]

This thread is somewhat inspired by the Sun Belt thread. How many bridges and tunnels are there in everyone's major city? For simplicity let's limit to bridges or tunnels that carry vehicular traffic across a major waterway or physical feature (in other words, not overpasses), and are at least 200 feet long. Also, let's limit to crossings that are either entirely within the central city, or feed traffic into/out of the city.

The reason that the Sun Belt thread made me think of this is because I have this implicit (unvalidated) assumption that northern cities typically have more bridges and tunnels than Sun Belt cities. I'm guessing that New York has the most, by far. And, I imagine that Pittsburgh ranks high as well. In fact, it seems like most northern cities have at least one major span, if not multiple, but they are not as common in Sun Belt cities. Obviously, Miami and San Francisco, but cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Phoenix, Raleigh, etc., don't seem to have any/many bridges or tunnels(?).

By my count there are 44 bridges and tunnels in NYC that fit the criteria above. Those crossings are listed below:

1. Alexander Hamilton Bridge (2,375 ft.)
2. Bayonne Bridge (5,780 ft.)
3. Broadway Bridge (558 ft.)
4. Brooklyn Battery Tunnel (9,117 ft.)
5. Brooklyn Bridge (5,988 ft.)
6. Carroll Street Bridge (300 ft.)
7. City Island Bridge (950 ft.)
8. Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge (3,000 ft.)
9. Eastchester Bridge (2,112 ft.)
10. Eastern Boulevard Bridge (634 ft.)
11. George Washington Bridge (4,760 ft.)
12. Goethals Bridge (7,109 ft.)
13. Hamilton Avenue Bridge (3,696 ft.)
14. Henry Hudson Bridge (2,208 ft.)
15. Holland Tunnel (8,558 ft.)
16. Hutchinson River Parkway Bridge (673 ft.)
17. Joseph P. Addabbo Memorial Bridge (3,700 ft.)
18. Kosciuszko Bridge (6,020 ft.)
19. Lincoln Tunnel (8,216 ft.)
20. Macombs Dam Bridge (2,539 ft.)
21. Madison Avenue Bridge (1,893 ft.)
22. Manhattan Bridge (6,854 ft.)
23. Marine Parkway - Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge (4,022 ft.)
24. Mill Basin Bridge (864 ft.)
25. Ninth Stret Bridge (700 ft.)
26. Outerbridge Crossing (8,800 ft.)
27. Pelham Bridge (892 ft.)
28. Pulaski Bridge (2,820 ft.)
29. Queens-Midtown Tunnel (6,414 ft.)
30. Queensboro Bridge (3,724 ft.)
31. Roosevelt Island Bridge (876 ft.)
32. Third Avenue Bridge (2,800 ft.)
33. Third Street Bridge (350 ft.)
34. Throgs Neck Bride (2,910 ft.)
35. Triborough Bridge (5,150 ft.)
36. Union Street Bridge (600 ft.)
37. Unionport Bridge (526 ft.)
38. University Heights Bridge (1,566 ft.)
39. Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge (13,701 ft.)
40. Washington Bridge (2,375 ft.)
41. Whitestone Bridge (3,770 ft.)
42. Williamsburg Bridge (7,308 ft.)
43. Willis Avenue Bridge (3,212 ft.)
44. 145th Street Bridge (1,604 ft.)

[sopas ej]

There are the various bridges that go over the Los Angeles River east of DTLA, the 6th Street Bridge being the newest one (opened in 2022):


The North Broadway Bridge being the oldest (opened in 1911):


There's also the Vincent Thomas Bridge that connects the LA side of Terminal Island with Wilmington/San Pedro at the Port of Los Angeles, both within LA City limits (opened in 1963):

[mrnyc]

i believe toledo's glass city skyway is ohio's newest major bridge (2007) --





edit -- whoops columbus has a new main street bridge from 2010 --

[sopas ej]

LA also gots the tunnels.

Figueroa Street Tunnels, which opened in 1931:


A more contemporary view (Now part of the Arroyo Seco Parkway):


2nd Street Tunnel, downtown LA, 1924:


A more contemporary view:


Sepulveda Tunnel in 1940 (it opened in 1930):


A more contemporary view:


3rd Street Tunnel, 1901:


Same intersection, circa first half of the 1910s:


Same intersection, circa early 1950s:


Same intersection, 1986:

[jmecklenborg]

Bridge/tunnel counts ought to include railroad bridges and railroad tunnels, even if they don't have passenger trains on them currently, since it indicates how physically complex a particular region is.

Also, there could be a distinction for viaducts, which often cross railroad gulches. The southern cities, for whatever reason, have a lot of railroad gulches next to their respective downtowns. For example, Atlanta's domed stadiums, convention center, olympics park, is in a former gulch. Knoxville's World's Fair Park is in a former gulch. Nashville's gulch still has an active railroad yard.

All of these gulches are crossed by a variety of viaducts. In some cases, a new street level has been created at the "viaduct" level. This level is increasing piece-by-piece in Nashville.

[streetscaper]

A testament to the very large number of major crossings in NYC.... I've lived in NY for 18 years and never even heard of or ridden on Outerbridge Crossing. Had to look it up, looks like a major crossing between Jersey and Staten Island. At 8,800 ft, it's the third longest crossing in the given criteria, only the Verrazano Bridge and the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel are longer, and I've never heard of or been on it lol.

[mhays]

Seattle is cut in half by the Lake Washington Ship Canal and its lakes, like Lake Union. Crossing this, most pretty old:
--Rail bridge to Ballard (a drawbridge)
--Ballard Locks (you can walk across two ship passages plus a dam)
--Ballard Bridge (drawbridge)
--Fremont Bridge (drawbridge)
--Aurora Bridge (high bridge for Highway 99)
--I-5 Freeway Bridge (high two-level bridge)
--University Bridge (drawbridge)
--Montlake Bridge (drawbridge)
--Link Light Rail Tunnel

We also have a few bridges over the Duwamish River which goes south from Elliott Bay.

Several bridges connect neighborhoods over ravines, or ramp up before going up hills.

The I-90 and SR-520 freeways connect over Lake Washington via floating bridges, heading to the eastern suburbs. 520 was recently rebuilt. 90 has involved three bridges, because when they added the second an error caused the first to sink and it had to be replaced. The second is currently nearing completion of the first rail line on a floating bridge -- last night they did the first self-powered test, watching for arcs that could damage the bridge.

We have miles of freeway tunnels, but most are just lids or tunneled simply to be out of the way. A section of 90 is tunneled through a hill called Mt. Baker (the neighborhood leading to the floating bridges, not the mountain). This includes two old two-lane tunnels plus a modern three-level tunnel with bikes on top.

Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, and Everett have rail tunnels that could be attributed to hills and in some cases also a desire for grade separation. Mercer Island also has a rail tunnel but that's just another lid over I-90.

[xzmattzx]

Is there a city with almost no bridges? Phoenix? Las Vegas?

[dave8721]

Most of Miami's many bridges are rather boring and utilitarian (though they do offer great views), but a new i-395 bridge is under construction that will offer some actual design. A new park will be where the existing bridge currently stands:

[Skintreesnail]

Philadelphia has a lot of bridges due to all the rivers and creeks. At least 30 on just the Delaware, schuylkill and wissahickon. A bunch of other ones that i'm not sure are more than 200 feet.

Some of the more interesting one for me are:

Ben Franklin (9650 feet)




Tacony Palmyra bridge (3695ft)



Henry ave bridge (333 foot stone arch)


Walnut lane (585 ft) different bridge than one above


Strawberry Mansion bridge (1242 feet)


Falls bridge, which is due for some tlc but still pretty cool (556 feet)


Market Street bridge



I assumed we weren't included train bridges, but what about pedestrian/bike? In that case I'd add manayunk bridge: (1900 ft)


And the new schuylkill river trail bridge


Some nice lost bridges replaced by generic looking ones:
Girard ave bridge:




Chestnut street


Spring garden/callow hill bridge

[xzmattzx]

Philadelphia has some good bridges, but one bridge that should get much, much more recognition is the Frankford Avenue Bridge, the oldest bridge in the United States.

[craigs]

Originally Posted by xzmattzx

Is there a city with almost no bridges? Phoenix? Las Vegas?

I cannot think of any notable vehicular or rail bridges in Las Vegas other than those that cross freeways.

[BnaBreaker]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

200' is a pretty short bridge in the grand scheme of things.

Chicago doesn't have any major bridges (there's no need for such here), but it has a crapload of smaller bridges that cross the various branches of the Chicago river and Calumet river.

Within city limits, I count 68 such bridges for vehicular traffic (more if you count the numerous railroad bridges), but I cannot speak to how many of them meet the 200' threshold (though some certainly do).

It's easy to forget about all the way down there, but there is The Chicago Skyway Bridge:

[jmecklenborg]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Chicago's numerous river bridges aren't all that special individually

The two-level L drawbridges are pretty unique:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Chicag..._ep=EgoyMDI1MDkwNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Chicag..._ep=EgoyMDI1MDkwNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by streetscaper

A testament to the very large number of major crossings in NYC.... I've lived in NY for 18 years and never even heard of or ridden on Outerbridge Crossing. Had to look it up, looks like a major crossing between Jersey and Staten Island. At 8,800 ft, it's the third longest crossing in the given criteria, only the Verrazano Bridge and the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel are longer, and I've never heard of or been on it lol.

I knew it existed but I've never been on it and I did not know the name of the Outerbridge Crossing until I compiled the list. Whenever I have to cut across Staten Island to get to Jersey it's always via the Goethals. Looking at the map, the Outerbridge appears to be a shortcut to the NJ Turnpike if you're going south. I'm normally driving north or west in Jersey, though, so always the Goethals.

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by xzmattzx

Is there a city with almost no bridges? Phoenix? Las Vegas?

Phoenix proper has lots of elevated roads that cross the Salt River. I just counted 9-10. Technically you might call them "bridges" in that they are "a structure carrying a pathway or roadway over a depression or obstacle (such as a river)." And the spans over the river are more than 200'. But most are just arterial roads with stretches that span a (dry) river, like this. I'll leave it to the wisdom of crowds whether those count, but I personally would not count them. The closest to a real bridge is where Central Ave. crosses the Salt River, which I have seen referred to as 'Salt River Bridge,' and which recently got a lighting project that makes it feel more like a real bridge:



The few really decent bridges in Phoenix Metro are outside the city proper - Tempe has the New and Old Mill Ave. bridges, as well as a pedestrian bridge and two rail bridges over Tempe Town Lake (a reservoir upstream on the Salt River from the dry river bed in Phoenix proper). There's a cool old bridge over the Gila River to the west of Phoenix, Gillespie Dam Bridge, but it's also outside city proper.

Phoenix I believe has just one qualifying tunnel: the Deck Park Tunnel, where I-10 is buried as it traverses downtown Phoenix:

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.46262,-1..._ep=EgoyMDI1MDkwNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

The pedants argue it is not technically a tunnel, but "19 side-by-side bridge overpasses." But everyone here calls it a tunnel, and it feels like a tunnel. It was also the last portion of I-10 to be finished nationwide, which is some nice trivia.

[mrnyc]

don't forget the motor city -- gordie is on the way --

[craigs]

Another pic of the Vincent Thomas Bridge in Los Angeles and Long Beach:


Source

[38 Geary]

The bridges in the Bay Area are pretty well documented. The two most notable ones have their own dedicated threads:
https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=254835
https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=175603


https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/co..._morning_helicopter_ride_over_the_green/



https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/oyu4hl/caught_a_photo_of_the_actual_san_francisco_rush/

[JManc]

^ You totally ignored the Bay Area's most beautiful bridge, the iconic Dumbarton Bridge...