Edward Abraham Byrne
Encyclopedia
Edward Abraham Byrne was an Irish-American civil engineer responsible for the construction of a number of bridges in the boroughs of New York
.
, N. Y., on January 27, 1864 , the son of Frederick John and Susan Mary (Power) Byrne, and the descendant of an old New York family of Irish
heritage. Educated in the Public Schools of the city, he was graduated from the College of the City of New York
in 1884.
career in 1886 with the New York City Aqueduct Commission on the construction of the Croton Water Supply System
. It is of interest that on this project he met Robert Ridgway, who also was destined to become a distinguished engineer and an outstanding civil servant.
From 1889 to the close of 1897, Byrne worked on highways and bridges for the old Department of Public Works of New York City.
On January 1, 1898, he joined the Department of Bridges and began a striking and noteworthy service which ended in November, 1933, with his resignation from the position of Chief Engineer of the Department of Plant and Structures (the successor of the Bridge Department), in order to assume the duties of Chief Engineer of the Triborough Bridge
. His thirty-six years of service in the Department of Bridges, and its successor, the Department of Plant and Structures, may be divided into two periods.
over the Harlem River
, the Vernon Avenue Bridge, the Borden Avenue and Hunters Point Bridges over Dutch Kills
, and the old bridge over Flushing River
.
, the Department of Plant and Structures began a period of intense activity which was cut short only by the Great Depression
of 1930. Not less than fifteen new bridges of major importance, of which ten were of the bascule
type, were built in this period. In addition, under Byrne’s direction, the Department designed and constructed a number of large incinerator plants and many other structures for the several departments of the City. He increased the capacity of the Manhattan
and Queensboro
Bridges over the East River
by the construction of additional vehicular roadways on their upper decks.
Byrne was greatly preoccupied with the study of traffic facilities. As far back as 1916 he conceived the idea of the Triborough Bridge
to link the Borough
s of Manhattan
, Bronx, and Queens
. He fostered this idea until he thought the time was ripe for its materialization. The actual work on the foundation
s and anchorages was begun in 1929 under his direction, while Chief Engineer of the Department of Plant and Structures.
Then, in November, 1933, upon the organization of the Triborough Bridge Authority, he became its first Chief Engineer. There is no doubt that Byrne looked upon the construction of the Triborough Bridge as the culmination of his career, but he was forced to relinquish his post in February, 1934, only several months after he had entered upon it with such high anticipation.
Primarily, Byrne was an engineer and executive, and because of character, integrity, and devotion, held his position, independent of politics, throughout successive administrations. The administration headed by Fiorello H. La Guardia assumed the Mayor's office on January 1, 1934, with a mandate for a "clean sweep", and the complete reorganization of the Triborough Bridge Authority was among the changes which followed. "It is fitting that credit for the initiation of the Triborough Bridge should be accorded Edward Byrne".
Another instance of Byrne’s active concern with traffic facilities is his advocacy of a vehicular tunnel from the Battery to Hamilton Avenue, in Brooklyn, N. Y., by way of Governors Island
. He prepared preliminary plans for this project which was an exceedingly live story in 1939. In 1929, also, he prepared preliminary plans and estimates for a vehicular tunnel under the East River from Manhattan Island at Thirty-eight Street to the Borough of Queens.
Byrne was deeply religious and loyally attached to the Roman Catholic Church
. He possessed power, energy, and a driving force which overcame apparently unsurmountable obstacles. The uncompromising integrity
with which he conducted his responsible office was felt throughout his department. Beneath an exterior which years of command and responsibility had rendered somewhat stern, he fostered a kindly, generous, and charitable disposition – always ready with help and sympathy for fellow humans in distress. His engineers will remember the pleasure he derived from the genial luncheon intermissions when out on some job. No matter how serious the business might have been, Byrne would relax completely and, with a generosity which became proverbial, play the host to his party.
He was fond of the theater, particularly musical comedy, and delighted in attending football games and other sports. When his sons were at the University of Notre Dame
, Indiana
, he attended religiously all the Notre Dame games
, enthusiastically supporting them as any undergraduate.
Edward Byrne died in Rye, New York, on December 6, 1938, at the home of his son Edward. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery, in Queens
, Long Island
, and thus his last ride was over the bridge which played so great a part in the drama of his last years. At the time, he was survived by two sons, Edward and George Dillon; and by two granddaughters, Elizabeth and Barbara Byrne, the children of Edward.
. He was a Past-President of the Society of Municipal Engineers of New York; a Past-President of the Kings County Chapter of the New York State Society of Professional Engineers
a member of the Brooklyn Engineers Club, and of the Catholic Club. He was a trustee of the Greenpoint Savings Bank.
Byrne was elected a Member of the ASCE
on April 16, 1918.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Biography
Byrne was born in New YorkNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, N. Y., on January 27, 1864 , the son of Frederick John and Susan Mary (Power) Byrne, and the descendant of an old New York family of Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
heritage. Educated in the Public Schools of the city, he was graduated from the College of the City of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
in 1884.
Engineering career
Edward Byrne began his civil engineeringCivil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
career in 1886 with the New York City Aqueduct Commission on the construction of the Croton Water Supply System
Croton Aqueduct
The Croton Aqueduct or Old Croton Aqueduct was a large and complex water distribution system constructed for New York City between 1837 and 1842...
. It is of interest that on this project he met Robert Ridgway, who also was destined to become a distinguished engineer and an outstanding civil servant.
From 1889 to the close of 1897, Byrne worked on highways and bridges for the old Department of Public Works of New York City.
On January 1, 1898, he joined the Department of Bridges and began a striking and noteworthy service which ended in November, 1933, with his resignation from the position of Chief Engineer of the Department of Plant and Structures (the successor of the Bridge Department), in order to assume the duties of Chief Engineer of the Triborough Bridge
Triborough Bridge
The Robert F. Kennedy ' Bridge, formerly known as the Triborough Bridge , is a complex of three separate bridges in New York City, United States...
. His thirty-six years of service in the Department of Bridges, and its successor, the Department of Plant and Structures, may be divided into two periods.
1898 - 1911
During this period, he was in charge of bridge construction and maintenance, supervising the construction of the Willis Avenue BridgeWillis Avenue Bridge
The Willis Avenue Bridge is a swing bridge that carries road traffic northbound over the Harlem River between the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx, United States. It connects First Avenue in Manhattan with Willis Avenue in the Bronx...
over the Harlem River
Harlem River
The Harlem River is a navigable tidal strait in New York City, USA that flows 8 miles between the Hudson River and the East River, separating the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx...
, the Vernon Avenue Bridge, the Borden Avenue and Hunters Point Bridges over Dutch Kills
Dutch Kills, New York
Dutch Kills is a sub-division of the larger neighborhood of Long Island City in the New York City borough of Queens. It was a hamlet, named for its navigable tributary of Newtown Creek, that occupied what today is centrally Queensboro Plaza. Dutch Kills was an important road hub during the American...
, and the old bridge over Flushing River
Flushing River
The Flushing River, more properly and historically known as Flushing Creek, is a waterway that flows through the northern part of central Queens in New York City, emptying into the East River...
.
1912 onwards
The second period began with his assumption of the office of Deputy Chief Engineer in 1912, followed by his appointment as Chief Engineer in 1915. At the close of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Department of Plant and Structures began a period of intense activity which was cut short only by the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
of 1930. Not less than fifteen new bridges of major importance, of which ten were of the bascule
Bascule bridge
A bascule bridge is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances the span, or "leaf," throughout the entire upward swing in providing clearance for boat traffic....
type, were built in this period. In addition, under Byrne’s direction, the Department designed and constructed a number of large incinerator plants and many other structures for the several departments of the City. He increased the capacity of the Manhattan
Manhattan Bridge
The Manhattan Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the East River in New York City, connecting Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn . It was the last of the three suspension bridges built across the lower East River, following the Brooklyn and the Williamsburg bridges...
and Queensboro
Queensboro Bridge
The Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, also known as the 59th Street Bridge – because its Manhattan end is located between 59th and 60th Streets – or simply the Queensboro Bridge, is a cantilever bridge over the East River in New York City that was completed in 1909...
Bridges over the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
by the construction of additional vehicular roadways on their upper decks.
Triborough Bridge
Byrne was greatly preoccupied with the study of traffic facilities. As far back as 1916 he conceived the idea of the Triborough Bridge
Triborough Bridge
The Robert F. Kennedy ' Bridge, formerly known as the Triborough Bridge , is a complex of three separate bridges in New York City, United States...
to link the Borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
s of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, Bronx, and Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
. He fostered this idea until he thought the time was ripe for its materialization. The actual work on the foundation
Foundation (architecture)
A foundation is the lowest and supporting layer of a structure. Foundations are generally divided into two categories: shallow foundations and deep foundations.-Shallow foundations:...
s and anchorages was begun in 1929 under his direction, while Chief Engineer of the Department of Plant and Structures.
Then, in November, 1933, upon the organization of the Triborough Bridge Authority, he became its first Chief Engineer. There is no doubt that Byrne looked upon the construction of the Triborough Bridge as the culmination of his career, but he was forced to relinquish his post in February, 1934, only several months after he had entered upon it with such high anticipation.
Primarily, Byrne was an engineer and executive, and because of character, integrity, and devotion, held his position, independent of politics, throughout successive administrations. The administration headed by Fiorello H. La Guardia assumed the Mayor's office on January 1, 1934, with a mandate for a "clean sweep", and the complete reorganization of the Triborough Bridge Authority was among the changes which followed. "It is fitting that credit for the initiation of the Triborough Bridge should be accorded Edward Byrne".
- Newspaper Article from The New York Sun (dated July 11th, 1936)
- Letter to the Editor of The New York Sun (dated July 16th, 1936)
- Letter to the Editor of The New York Sun (dated July 20th, 1936)
Other New York City Projects
Another instance of Byrne’s active concern with traffic facilities is his advocacy of a vehicular tunnel from the Battery to Hamilton Avenue, in Brooklyn, N. Y., by way of Governors Island
Governors Island
Governors Island is a island in Upper New York Bay, approximately one-half mile from the southern tip of Manhattan Island and separated from Brooklyn by Buttermilk Channel. It is legally part of the borough of Manhattan in New York City...
. He prepared preliminary plans for this project which was an exceedingly live story in 1939. In 1929, also, he prepared preliminary plans and estimates for a vehicular tunnel under the East River from Manhattan Island at Thirty-eight Street to the Borough of Queens.
Personal life
Edward Byrne was married to Elizabeth Mary Dillon in 1902. She died in 1912, leaving him two young sons. Byrne did not remarry. He participated in their lives of his children until they were safely through college.Byrne was deeply religious and loyally attached to the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He possessed power, energy, and a driving force which overcame apparently unsurmountable obstacles. The uncompromising integrity
Integrity
Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions...
with which he conducted his responsible office was felt throughout his department. Beneath an exterior which years of command and responsibility had rendered somewhat stern, he fostered a kindly, generous, and charitable disposition – always ready with help and sympathy for fellow humans in distress. His engineers will remember the pleasure he derived from the genial luncheon intermissions when out on some job. No matter how serious the business might have been, Byrne would relax completely and, with a generosity which became proverbial, play the host to his party.
He was fond of the theater, particularly musical comedy, and delighted in attending football games and other sports. When his sons were at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, he attended religiously all the Notre Dame games
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
, enthusiastically supporting them as any undergraduate.
Edward Byrne died in Rye, New York, on December 6, 1938, at the home of his son Edward. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery, in Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, and thus his last ride was over the bridge which played so great a part in the drama of his last years. At the time, he was survived by two sons, Edward and George Dillon; and by two granddaughters, Elizabeth and Barbara Byrne, the children of Edward.
Professional associations
Byrne was a Consulting Engineer of the New York State Bridge and Tunnel Commission, and of the Camden-Philadelphia BridgeBenjamin Franklin Bridge
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge , originally named the Delaware River Bridge, is a suspension bridge across the Delaware River connecting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Camden, New Jersey...
. He was a Past-President of the Society of Municipal Engineers of New York; a Past-President of the Kings County Chapter of the New York State Society of Professional Engineers
National Society of Professional Engineers
The National Society of Professional Engineers is a professional engineering organization in the United States. From their press releases:...
a member of the Brooklyn Engineers Club, and of the Catholic Club. He was a trustee of the Greenpoint Savings Bank.
Byrne was elected a Member of the ASCE
American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
on April 16, 1918.
External links
- Vernon Avenue Bridge over Newtown CreekNewtown CreekNewtown Creek is a estuary that forms part of the border between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, in New York City, New York, United States. It derives its name from New Town , which was the name for the Dutch and British settlement in what is now Elmhurst, Queens...
, - Borden Avenue Bridge
- Hunters Point bridge
