Bridges - Must See Tourist Attractions in New York City

The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is a double-decked suspension bridge that connects the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn in New York City at the Narrows, the reach connecting the relatively protected upper bay with the larger lower bay. The bridge is named for Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, the first known European navigator to enter New York Harbor and the Hudson River. It has a center span of 4,260 feet (1,298 m) and was the largest suspension bridge in the world from the time of its completion in 1964 until 1981. It now has the seventh longest center span in the world but still is the largest suspension bridge in the United States. Its massive towers can be seen throughout a good part of the New York metropolitan area, including from spots in all five boroughs of New York City. The bridge furnishes a critical link in the local and regional highway system. It is widely known today as the starting point of the New York City Marathon. The bridge marks the gateway to New York Harbor; all cruise ships and most container ships arriving at the Port of New York and New Jersey must pass underneath the bridge. Most ships, when built, must be built to accommodate the clearance under the bridge. Among local residents it is often referred to as simply "the Verrazano".

At night, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge can be seen lit up from Washington Rock State Park, which is about 30 miles away atop the first Watchung Mountain in Green Brook Township, New Jersey.

During daytime and night time, the support towers can be seen from about 29 miles (46.7 km) at a certain spot at Thompson Park in Monroe Township, New Jersey.

Because of the length of the center span, the two towers of the bridge are actually separated by an arcsecond and can be seen if one looks perpendicularly at the bridge. A similar situation occurs on the 17-mile long Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in Norfolk, Virginia.

Details

Opening date: November 21, 1964 (upper level)
Opening date: June 28, 1969 (lower level)
Longest span : 4,260 feet (1,298 m)
Vertical clearance: 15 feet (4.6 m) (upper level)
Vertical clearance: 14.4 feet (4.4 m) (lower level)
Clearance below : 228 feet (69.5 m) at mid-span
Toll :$9.00 (westbound only per car in cash)