Kosciuszko Bridge
Kosciuszko Bridge | |
|---|---|
 Kosciuszko Bridge viewed from the end of Maspeth Avenue, Brooklyn | |
| Coordinates | 40°43′40″N 73°55′45″W / 40.7278°N 73.9292°W |
| Carries | Brooklyn-Queens Expressway |
| Crosses | Newtown Creek |
| Locale | Brooklyn and Queens, in New York City |
| Maintained by | New York State Department of Transportation |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | truss bridge |
| Total length | 6,021 feet (1,835 m) |
| Longest span | 300 feet (91 m) |
| Clearance below | 125 feet (38 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1939 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 170,000 |
| Location | |
 | |
The Kosciuszko Bridge is a truss bridge that spans Newtown Creek between the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, connecting Greenpoint, Brooklyn and Penny Bridge, Queens. It is a part of Interstate 278, which is also locally known as the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The bridge opened in 1939, replacing the Penny Bridge from Meeker Avenue in Brooklyn to Review Avenue and Laurel Hill Boulevard, and is the only bridge over Newtown Creek that is not a drawbridge. It was named in honor of Tadeusz Kościuszko, a Polish volunteer who was a General in the American Revolutionary War.[1] Two of the bridge towers are surmounted with eagles, one is the Polish eagle, and the other the American eagle.
Although many broadcast announcers pronounce the name of the bridge as "kahs-kee-OOSH-koh", and most Brooklynites render it "kahs-kee-OSS-ko", the actual Polish pronunciation approximates "kohsh-CHOOSH-koh".
The bridge is planned to be replaced by a new nine-lane bridge, which will consist of two eastbound spans and one westbound span, and it will include a bike path and a walkway.[2] Construction is planned to begin in 2013.[2]
The bridge can be seen in the background of the funeral scene near the end of The Godfather.
See also
References
- ^ Mooney, Jake (February 13, 2009). "Plans and Wary Neighbors for an Icon of Gridlock". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-08-15.
- ^ a b Angelos, James (April 10, 2009). "Uneasily Contemplating the Arrival of a Spiffy Newcomer". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-06-29.
External links
- New York State Department of Transportation Kosciuszko Bridge Project
- NYCRoads.com Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
 | This article about a specific bridge in the United States is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This article about a New York City building or structure is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |