Outerbridge Crossing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Outerbridge Crossing | |
|---|---|
 The Outerbridge Crossing, seen from Tottenville, Staten Island. Perth Amboy, New Jersey is on the left; Staten Island, New York is on the right |
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| Carries | 4 lanes of NJ 440/NY 440 |
| Crosses | Arthur Kill |
| Locale | Perth Amboy, New Jersey and southwestern Staten Island, New York |
| Maintained by | Port Authority of New York and New Jersey |
| Design | Steel Cantilever bridge |
| Longest span | 750 feet (229 m) |
| Total length | 10,140 feet (3,093 m)[1] |
| Width | 62 feet (18.9 m) |
| Vertical clearance | 14 feet (4.3 m) |
| Clearance below | 135 feet (41.1 m)[1] |
| AADT | 85,764 (2007)[2] |
| Opening date | June 29, 1928 |
| Toll | (eastbound) Autos $8.00 Cash, $8.00 peak with (E-ZPass), $6.00 off-peak with (E-ZPass) |
The Outerbridge Crossing is a cantilever bridge which spans the Arthur Kill. The "Outerbridge", as it's commonly known, connects Perth Amboy, New Jersey with Staten Island, New York and carries NY-440 and NJ-440, each road ending at the respective state border.
The bridge was named for Eugenius Harvey Outerbridge, sometimes pronounced "ooterbridge," the first chairman of the then-Port of New York Authority and a resident of Staten Island.[3][1] Rather than call it the "Outerbridge Bridge" the span was labeled a "crossing," but many New Yorkers and others mistakenly assume the name comes from the fact that it is the most remote bridge in New York City and the southernmost crossing in New York state.[4]
It is a steel cantilever construction, designed by John Alexander Low Waddell and built under the auspices of the Port of New York Authority, now the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which currently operates it.
It opened simultaneously with the Goethals Bridge on June 29, 1928. Both spans have similar designs. Neither bridge saw high traffic counts until the opening of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in 1964. Traffic counts on both bridges were also suppressed due to the effects of the Great Depression and World War II.
The Outerbridge Crossing carried 32,438,000 vehicles (both directions) in 2006, or approximately 90,000 each day.[5] Tolls are collected in the eastbound direction only. As of early 2009 the cash toll is $8 for passenger vehicles. Users of E-ZPass pay a toll of $6 during off-peak hours (outside of 6-9 am and 4-7 pm).
In recent years, the bridge has undergone numerous repair jobs as a result of the high volume of traffic that crosses the bridge each day.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Kenneth T. Jackson, ed., The Encyclopedia of New York City p. 870; 1995; Yale University Press; The New-York Historical Society.
- ^ "2007 Traffic Data Report for New York State" (PDF). New York State Department of Transportation. July 25, 2008. https://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/hds-respository/NYSDOT_Traffic_Data_Report_2007.pdf. Retrieved on July 17, 2009.
- ^ "E. H. Outerbridge, Port Expert, Dies. Head Of Export And Import Firm And Ex-Chairman Of Port Of New York Authority. Aided Major Harbor. Comprehensive Development Started in His Term Of Office twice. Chamber Of Commerce Head.". New York Times. ; November 11, 1932. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0C11FB355516738DDDA80994D9415B828FF1D3. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. "Eugenius H. Outerbridge, head of the firm of Harvey Outerbridge and former chairman of the Port of New York Authority, died yesterday in the New York ..."
- ^ Happy Bridge Birthday, silive.com, June 27, 2008, accessed May 28, 2009
- ^ Outerbridge Crossing, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Accessed March 2, 2008.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Outerbridge Crossing |
- Port Authority: Outerbridge Crossing
- Outerbridge Crossing Historic Overview at Steve Anderson's nycroads.com
Coordinates: 40°31′30″N 74°14′48″W / 40.524914°N 74.246635°W
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