New York City lives and dies by its waterways. When Henry Hudson first discovered the island of Manhattan in 1609, he realized it was the ideal place for a powerful city. The main reason was because of the deep natural harbors in front of the island and the rivers surrounding it. The rivers not only protected Manhattan but also gave it ways to connect to the interior of the continent as well as the ocean. However, before 1883, the only way to leave Manhattan was by boat. While multiple ferry services existed on both the East and Hudson rivers, it was the construction of bridges that allowed New York City to expand off Manhattan and become the powerhouse it is today.
Although there are around 40 major bridges that connect New York City’s boroughs, only five are historically significant. They are (with date of completion) the Brooklyn Bridge (1883), Williamsburg Bridge (1903), Manhattan Bridge (1909), George Washington Bridge (1931) and Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (1964). These five bridges connect the city in their own important and unique ways.
The Brooklyn Bridge is most famous bridge in New York City. It was the first steel suspension bridge ever built and without it, New York City wouldn’t have grown outside of Manhattan. Construction began on the mammoth project in 1869. After 14 years and at least 24 deaths, the bridge was completed, though at the cost of $15 million ($320 million today). Its elegant design wowed everyone who crossed it, as it was called the “8th wonder of the world”. In fact, for many years it was the tallest structure in the western hemisphere. The connection of two bustling population centers, Manhattan and Brooklyn, changed how New York City functioned. Due to the strong link between these locations, New York City and Brooklyn, (along with Staten Island) were officially merged together in 1898, only 16 years after the bridge was completed.
The success of the Brooklyn Bridge prompted the construction of the Williamsburg and Manhattan Bridges. The Williamsburg Bridge was completed 20 years after the Brooklyn Bridge but in half the time and with no deaths. Its opening caused a flood of migration, as German and Irish immigrants moved to Queens while Jewish immigrants moved to the Lower East Side, dubbing it the “Jew Bridge” for a time. The Manhattan Bridge, which was built to ease traffic on the other two bridges, is not as famous as the others. Though its design was revolutionary for its time, becoming the inspiration for most other suspension bridges in the first half of the 20th century, it had a few flaws. When the bridge was built its design didn’t account for a subway. As a result, every time a train went over it the bridge would sway. This still happens today but at a much smaller rate than it used to. The reason the sway is smaller is because the subway use actually deteriorated the bridges’ structure and forced a multi-million dollar repair job in the 1980s.
While the Williamsburg and Manhattan Bridges are important, their contribution to city life pales in comparison to the George Washington Bridge. It spanned over twice as long as any other suspension bridge when it was completed and is still considered an engineering marvel. It was the first bridge in the city that was built specifically for automobiles and is still considered to be one the most beautiful bridges in the world. Without it, New Yorkers would be unable to easily travel to New Jersey by car.
When Staten Island was merged into New York City in 1898, the only way to get there was by ferry. Though the ferry still exists, it took 66 years for a bridge to connect the island borough to the city. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is still the longest suspension bridge in the country, spanning the mile long passage between Staten Island and Brooklyn. The bridge was designed by urban planner Robert Moses and is tall enough for every type of ship to sail under. It changed the character of Staten Island from an almost rural outer borough to a bustling part of New York City. It was considered to be the final link between the city’s boroughs and was the last major bridge to be built in New York City.
New York City's Hidden History 
Nice post..
See my post on an bridge.
https://nomadicsworld.wordpress.com/2018/05/30/the-royal-bridge-of-jaunpur/
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