Bridge spans: East River, Brooklyn-Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Chief Engineer: John A. Roebling (1867-69) & Washington A. Roebling (1869-1883)

Bridge Constructor: John A. Roebling, Co.

Bridge Type: Suspension

Construction Commenced: October, 1869

Construction Completed:

Bridge opened to public: May 24, 1883 at 2:00 PM
Total of 150,300 people crossed opening day.
People charged 1 cent to cross.

Bridge opened to vehicles: May 24, 1883 at 5:00 PM after speeches at opening ceremony.
Total of 1800 vehicles crossed on the first day.
Vehicles charged 5 cents to cross.

First Passenger Train over bridge: September 1883

Last Train over bridge: 1948

Dedication Date:

Length of main span: 1,595 feet, 6 inches

Length of side spans :

Length of approach: 971 feet (Brooklyn approach)

1,562 feet, 6 inches (Manhattan approach)

Total length: 5,989 feet

Overall width: 85 feet

Total weight of bridge:

Estimated total cost in (date of completion):

Actual total cost: $15,211,982.92

Total overpayments (over 14 years): $9,578.67
(Many speculated that fraud and overpayments were in the $millions).

Still extant?: Yes

Height of towers: 273 feet

Depth of tower foundation below high water mark: Brooklyn tower: 45 feet

Manhattan tower: 78 feet

Size of tower at high water line: 140/59 feet

Total height of tower above high water: 277 feet

Clear height of bridge in center of river span above high water: 119 feet, 3 inches

Grade of roadway: 3 ¼ feet in 100 feet

Size of anchorage at base: 129 inches / 119 inches

Size of anchorage at top: 117 inches / 104 inches

Weight of each anchor plate : 23 tons

Number of supporting cables: 4

Diameter of each cable: 15 ½ inches

Length of each single wire in cables:

Diameter of each single wire in cables:

A cable contains 19 strands, containing 2381 wires at a total of 21,432 wires in each cable.

Ultimate strength of a cable: 11,200 tons

Weight of # cables: 3,272 tons

First to Jump from Bridge: May 19, 1885 R.E. Odlum (he died from the jump)