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High Bridge (New York City)
Encyclopedia
The High Bridge is a steel arch bridge
, with a height of almost 140 feet (40 m) over the Harlem River
, connecting the New York City
boroughs
of The Bronx
and Manhattan
. The eastern end is located in The Bronx
near the western end of West 170th Street, and the western end is located in Highbridge Park
in Manhattan
, roughly parallel to the end of West 173rd Street.
Although it has been closed to all traffic since the 1970s, it remains the oldest surviving bridge in New York City.
The bridge is operated and maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
.
, which carried water from the Croton River
to supply the then burgeoning city of New York some 10 miles to the south. It was designed by the aqueduct's engineering team led by John B. Jervis
. James Renwick, Jr.
, who later went on to design New York's landmark Saint Patrick's Cathedral
on Manhattan
's Fifth Avenue
, participated in the design.
The Croton Aqueduct had to cross the Harlem River at some point, and the method was a major design decision. A tunnel under the river was considered, but tunneling technology was in its infancy at the time, and the uncertainty of pursuing this option led to its rejection. This left a bridge, with the Water Commission, engineers and the public split between a low bridge and a high bridge. A low bridge would have been simpler, faster, and cheaper to construct. When concerns were raised to the New York Legislature
that a low bridge would obstruct passage along the Harlem River to the Hudson River
, a high bridge was ultimately chosen.
Originally designed as a stone arch bridge, the High Bridge had the appearance of a Roman aqueduct
. The bridge was started in 1837, and completed in 1848. It has a length of well over 2,000 feet (600 m).
In 1928, in order to improve navigation in the Harlem River, all of the masonry arches of the central part of the bridge that spanned the river were demolished and replaced with a single steel
arch of about 450 feet (135 m). Of the masonry arches of the original 1848 bridge, only one survives on the Manhattan side, while some ten survive on the Bronx side.
Officials were thinking of closing the bridge in the mid 1960s due to disrepair, then in 1970 a pedestrian threw a rock from the bridge onto a tour boat, and the bridge was closed.
In November 2006 it was announced that the bridge would reopen to pedestrians in 2009 (later postponed to 2013) after a $20 million renovation project. With the renovation, the arch will be stronger, staircases will be improved, cameras will be placed on both ends of the bridge, and boat beacon lights will be added, among other features.
(1832) and the Great Fire in 1835
, the inadequacy of the water system of wells-and-cisterns became apparent. Numerous corrective measures were examined. In the final analysis only the Croton River
, located in northern Westchester County was found to be sufficient in quantity and quality to serve the needs of the City. The delivery system was begun in 1837, and was completed in 1848.
The Old Croton Aqueduct
was the first of its kind ever constructed in the United States. The innovative system used a classic gravity feed, dropping 13 inches (330.2 mm) per mile and running 41 miles (66 km) into New York City through an enclosed masonry structure crossing ridges, valleys, and rivers. University Avenue was later built over the southernmost mainland portion of the aqueduct, leading to the bridge. The High Bridge soars 138 feet (42.1 m) above the 620 feet (189 m)-wide Harlem River, with a total length of 1450 feet (442 m). The bridge was designed with a pedestrian walkway atop the Aqueduct and was not used for vehicular traffic. Though the carrying capacity was enlarged in 1861-62 with a larger tube, the bridge, obsolete due to opening of the New Croton Aqueduct
, ceased to carry water in 1917. In the 1920s the bridge's masonry arches were declared a hazard to ship navigation by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
, and the City considered demolishing the entire structure. Local organizations called to preserve the historic bridge, and in 1927 when five of the original arches across the river were replaced by a single steel span, the remaining arches were retained.
, began for restoring the High Bridge. The High Bridge Coalition is raising funds and public awareness to restore High Bridge to pedestrian and bicycle traffic, joining Highbridge Parks in both Manhattan and The Bronx that together cover more than 120 acre (0.4856232 km²) of parkland, and providing a link in New York's greenway system. In early 2010 a contract was signed with Lichtenstein Consulting Engineers and Chu & Gassman Consulting Engineers (MEP sub-consultant) to provide designs for the restored bridge.
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
, with a height of almost 140 feet (40 m) 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...
, connecting the New York City
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...
boroughs
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
and 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...
. The eastern end is located in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
near the western end of West 170th Street, and the western end is located in Highbridge Park
Highbridge Park
Highbridge Park is located in Washington Heights on the banks of the Harlem River near the northernmost tip of the New York City borough of Manhattan, between 155th Street and Dyckman Street...
in 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...
, roughly parallel to the end of West 173rd Street.
Although it has been closed to all traffic since the 1970s, it remains the oldest surviving bridge in New York City.
The bridge is operated and maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
The City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation is the department of government of the City of New York responsible for maintaining the city's parks system, preserving and maintaining the ecological diversity of the city's natural areas, and furnishing recreational opportunities for city's...
.
Construction and history
The bridge was opened in 1848 as part of the Croton AqueductCroton 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...
, which carried water from the Croton River
Croton River
The Croton River is a river in southern New York that begins where the East and West Branches of the Croton River meet a little way downstream from the Croton Falls Reservoir...
to supply the then burgeoning city of New York some 10 miles to the south. It was designed by the aqueduct's engineering team led by John B. Jervis
John B. Jervis
John Bloomfield Jervis was an American civil engineer. He was America's leading consulting engineer of the antebellum era . Jervis was a pioneer in the development of canals and railroads for the expanding United States...
. James Renwick, Jr.
James Renwick, Jr.
James Renwick, Jr. , was a prominent American architect in the 19th-century. The Encyclopedia of American Architecture calls him "one of the most successful American architects of his time".-Life and work:Renwick was born into a wealthy and well-educated family...
, who later went on to design New York's landmark Saint Patrick's Cathedral
St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York
The Cathedral of St. Patrick is a decorated Neo-Gothic-style Roman Catholic cathedral church in the United States...
on 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...
's Fifth Avenue
Fifth Avenue (Manhattan)
Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the center of the borough of Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. The section of Fifth Avenue that crosses Midtown Manhattan, especially that between 49th Street and 60th Street, is lined with prestigious shops and is consistently ranked among...
, participated in the design.
The Croton Aqueduct had to cross the Harlem River at some point, and the method was a major design decision. A tunnel under the river was considered, but tunneling technology was in its infancy at the time, and the uncertainty of pursuing this option led to its rejection. This left a bridge, with the Water Commission, engineers and the public split between a low bridge and a high bridge. A low bridge would have been simpler, faster, and cheaper to construct. When concerns were raised to the New York Legislature
New York Legislature
The New York State Legislature is the term often used to refer to the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of New York. The New York Constitution does not designate an official term for the two houses together...
that a low bridge would obstruct passage along the Harlem River to the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
, a high bridge was ultimately chosen.
Originally designed as a stone arch bridge, the High Bridge had the appearance of a Roman aqueduct
Roman aqueduct
The Romans constructed numerous aqueducts to serve any large city in their empire, as well as many small towns and industrial sites. The city of Rome had the largest concentration of aqueducts, with water being supplied by eleven aqueducts constructed over a period of about 500 years...
. The bridge was started in 1837, and completed in 1848. It has a length of well over 2,000 feet (600 m).
In 1928, in order to improve navigation in the Harlem River, all of the masonry arches of the central part of the bridge that spanned the river were demolished and replaced with a single steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
arch of about 450 feet (135 m). Of the masonry arches of the original 1848 bridge, only one survives on the Manhattan side, while some ten survive on the Bronx side.
Officials were thinking of closing the bridge in the mid 1960s due to disrepair, then in 1970 a pedestrian threw a rock from the bridge onto a tour boat, and the bridge was closed.
In November 2006 it was announced that the bridge would reopen to pedestrians in 2009 (later postponed to 2013) after a $20 million renovation project. With the renovation, the arch will be stronger, staircases will be improved, cameras will be placed on both ends of the bridge, and boat beacon lights will be added, among other features.
Aqueduct
The High Bridge was part of the first reliable and plentiful water supply system in New York City. As the City was devastated by choleraCholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
(1832) and the Great Fire in 1835
Great Fire of New York
The Great New York Fire was a conflagration that destroyed the New York Stock Exchange and most of the buildings on the southeast tip of Manhattan around Wall Street on December 16–17, 1835....
, the inadequacy of the water system of wells-and-cisterns became apparent. Numerous corrective measures were examined. In the final analysis only the Croton River
Croton River
The Croton River is a river in southern New York that begins where the East and West Branches of the Croton River meet a little way downstream from the Croton Falls Reservoir...
, located in northern Westchester County was found to be sufficient in quantity and quality to serve the needs of the City. The delivery system was begun in 1837, and was completed in 1848.
The Old Croton Aqueduct
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...
was the first of its kind ever constructed in the United States. The innovative system used a classic gravity feed, dropping 13 inches (330.2 mm) per mile and running 41 miles (66 km) into New York City through an enclosed masonry structure crossing ridges, valleys, and rivers. University Avenue was later built over the southernmost mainland portion of the aqueduct, leading to the bridge. The High Bridge soars 138 feet (42.1 m) above the 620 feet (189 m)-wide Harlem River, with a total length of 1450 feet (442 m). The bridge was designed with a pedestrian walkway atop the Aqueduct and was not used for vehicular traffic. Though the carrying capacity was enlarged in 1861-62 with a larger tube, the bridge, obsolete due to opening of the New Croton Aqueduct
New Croton Aqueduct
The New Croton aqueduct, built roughly parallel to the Old Croton aqueduct was constructed to provide a large steady water supply for New York City. The aqueduct opened on July 15, 1890...
, ceased to carry water in 1917. In the 1920s the bridge's masonry arches were declared a hazard to ship navigation by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
, and the City considered demolishing the entire structure. Local organizations called to preserve the historic bridge, and in 1927 when five of the original arches across the river were replaced by a single steel span, the remaining arches were retained.
Restoration
In 2009 preliminary planning, funded by plaNYCPlaNYC
PlaNYC is an effort released by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2007 to prepare the city for one million more residents, strengthen the economy, combat climate change, and enhance the quality of life for all New Yorkers. The Plan brought together over 25 City agencies to work toward the...
, began for restoring the High Bridge. The High Bridge Coalition is raising funds and public awareness to restore High Bridge to pedestrian and bicycle traffic, joining Highbridge Parks in both Manhattan and The Bronx that together cover more than 120 acre (0.4856232 km²) of parkland, and providing a link in New York's greenway system. In early 2010 a contract was signed with Lichtenstein Consulting Engineers and Chu & Gassman Consulting Engineers (MEP sub-consultant) to provide designs for the restored bridge.
External links
- Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct
- New York City Department of Parks: High Bridge
- NYCRoads.com: High Bridge (Aqueduct Bridge)
- thehighbridge.org
- 2004 article about restoration plans
- Video: The View From Atop High Bridge by Streetfilms