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Featuring drawings of different stages of the build and of John A Roebling, his son, and the now famous Emily Roebling, students will have one last chance to engage with the unit before using their knowledge to build a bridge for their final project.

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New York Fine Art Photography Portrait & Events, Workshops

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Brooklyn Bridge During Snowstorm at Sunset, 2010 by James Maher. (*I write these articles because I love the city and the incredible stories behind each grand structure. You can help support my photography by purchasing an archival print of the Bridge for your home. Photos with links below them are for sale.)
The single greatest wonderment of the Brooklyn Bridge is not its size, beauty, function or even technology, but the fact that it was created by hand. When construction began, neither the light bulb nor the telephone (nor the jackhammer) had been invented. It is truly the Great Pyramid of bridges.

The fourteen-year construction took the lives of many men, killed the architect, and crippled his son. It was construction on a scale that had never been done before and without some of the modern conveniences that we now take for granted.

John A. Roebling

Because of the scale of the bridge, suspending over one of the largest and busiest waterways in the country, the plans for it were a work of true vision. The creator, famous bridge designer John A. Roebling, was perhaps one of the few people who could have even dreamed of the practical possibility at the time, and it was his invention of the wire rope that even made it possible.

Building a bridge across the East River had been talked about since the early 1800s, but had never been attempted because of the difficulty. But in just three months in 1867, Roebling created the entire plan for the bridge, down to the exact specifications. These plans were soon accepted and funded by the New York Bridge Company, run by a group of prominent leaders dedicated to erecting the bridge.

"The contemplated work, when constructed in accordance with my design, will not only be the greatest bridge in existence, but it will be the great engineering work of the continent and of the age. Its most conspicuous feature - the great towers - will serve as landmarks to the adjoining cities, and they will be entitled to be ranked as national monuments. As a great work of art, and a successful specimen of advanced bridge engineering, the structure will forever testify to the energy, enterprise, and wealth of that community which shall secure its erection."

- "Report" to the New York Bridge Company, September 1, 1867 by John A. Roebling.

Brooklyn Tower, 2003 by James Maher.
A month after his plans were accepted, while examining locations for the Brooklyn tower site, Roebling's foot was crushed on a pier by a ferry. Roebling died 17 days later from tetanus.

Suddenly, Roebling's 32-year-old son Washington, also a bridge builder, was in charge of one of the toughest engineering projects in history. The plans had been created, but they had never been tested on a project with close to the same magnitude.

"Here I was 32 years old, suddenly in charge of the most stupendous engineering structure of the age, with only preparatory plans, nothing fixed or decided. The prop on which I hitherto leaned had fallen. Henceforth, I must rely on myself."
- Washington Roebling.

The Caissons

Soon after ground was broken, problems became immediately apparent with the two 3,000 ton caissons (airtight cylinders sunk to the riverbed that allowed workers to build a foundation for the towers into the bedrock). Caissons of this magnitude had never before been created, and work in them was miserable and deadly.

"Inside the caisson everything wore an unreal, weird appearance. There was a confused sensation in the head, like the rush of many waters. The pulse was at first accelerated, then sometimes fell below the normal rate. The voice sounded faint, unnatural, and it became a great effort to speak. What with the flaming lights, the deep shadows, the confusing noise of hammers, drills and chains, the half-naked forms flitting about, if of a poetic temperament, get a realizing sense of Dante's inferno. One thing to me was noticeable, time passed quickly in the caisson."

- E.F. Farrington, master mechanic for Washington Roebling.

The Caisson, 1883
Construction of the Brooklyn caisson hit bedrock after around 44 feet and was filled with concrete to create the base. The Manhattan caisson was much more dangerous. The plan was originally to lower it 106 feet to hit the bedrock, but as they got lower and lower, and the dangers became more apparent, Washington Roebling made probably the riskiest decision of the entire construction. By taking soil samples he discovered that the soil hadn't shifted in millions of years, and so he decided that it was stable enough itself to hold the bridge. To this day one tower of the Brooklyn Bridge rests on bedrock, while the other rests on sand.

In the caissons, fires, explosions and the bends (caisson disease) took the lives of 20 men. A case of the bends nearly killed Roebling himself. He survived but became crippled, confined to his house for the remainder of his life.

Unable to oversee the construction in person, besides from his window view of the bridge from his Brooklyn Heights home, Roebling relied on his wife Emily to be his eyes and ears for the project. Under his assistance, Emily Roebling studied higher mathematics and bridge engineering and soon became very fluent in the construction of bridges.
The Stone Towers
Finally, in 1873, construction began of something that was visible to the public, the towers. The 276-foot neo-Gothic towers were built of granite and featured two arched portals. These towers were of both fundamental and psychological importance to the bridge. First, they were taller than any other building in the city, except for the very top of the Trinity Church. Second, they were to hold the weight of the cables that were to be strung, as well as the roadways so that the bridge would not interfere with traffic on the Hudson.

The towers had to be as tall as they were, to allow the bridge to give enough clearance for ships. And all of this would have never been possible without John Roebling's invention of the steel rope.

The Cables and Roadways
Towers in a Snowstorm, 2010 by James Maher.
By the time the cables were to be strung, major doubts began to encircle the project. There had always been doubters of the project, but when William 'Boss' Tweed was convicted of stealing between $40 million and $200 million from New York tax payers, the public began to look upon all public works, and particularly the construction of the bridge with more scrutiny.

To create the 4 main suspension cables, wires were pulled, strand by strand by a traveller rope from one tower to the next. Each cable held 6,289 of these wires, 331 wires to a strand and 19 stands to a cable.

While the cables were being strung, a major problem was discovered. The J. Lloyd Haigh company that was responsible for providing wire for the cables, was found to have given faulty wires. It was virtually impossible at the time to redo the wires, and so the story was kept as quiet as possible and 150 extra wires were added to each cable to strengthen them. The owner of the company, J. Lloyd Haigh was eventually put in jail.

The near-final straw occurred at the 10-year mark when the cables were completed and the roadways were beginning to be put down. Because of extreme delays from the companies providing the materials to create the roadways, the public began to become severely impatient. This, coupled with the fact that Washington Roebling hadn't actually set foot on the bridge in nearly 10 years due to his disability, made him a convenient scapegoat.

Despite the fact that the bridge engineers testified to the importance of Washington Roebling to the completion of the bridge, enough of the bridge trustees got together to vote on his removal. After a very tight vote, they were narrowly defeated.

Completion

The Bridge was completed in 1883, to a huge celebration. Emily Roebling became the Bridge's first passenger, riding in an open carriage and carrying a rooster, a symbol of victory.

The site of the completed bridge took away most of the anger towards the delays and costs and all of the businesses in the city closed for its opening. President Chester A. Arthur attended and crossed the bridge with New York Mayor Franklin Edson to meet Brooklyn Mayor Seth Low. 14 tons of fireworks were used in the celebration.

On the first day of its opening, a total of 1,800 vehicles and 150,300 people crossed the bridge. But the opening week was not without controversy, as a week later, a rumor that the bridge was going to collapse caused a stampede that killed 12 people. Soon after, to publicize his famous circus, P.T. Barnum led 21 elephants across the bridge and calmed any doubts about its stability.

The bridge itself is just above 6,000 feet long and 270 feet tall and was designed by John Roebling to be six times stronger than it needed to be. Because of this, the bridge is still standing today, although it is only about four times stronger than it needed to be, due to the inferior wire supplied by J. Lloyd Haigh.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are many reasons for why the Brooklyn Bridge was built. Previous to its completion there were no bridges connecting Manhattan to a quickly growing Brooklyn. The invention of the steam ferry greatly improved transit between Brooklyn and Manhattan and allowed people to commute across the East River daily for work, but the trip was treacherous and unstable and ferry's often got stuck in the ice or stopped by bad weather.

A bridge would allow many more people to pass between boroughs much quicker and safer, as well as by foot or carriage. It alleviated the stress of traveling daily by boat in the dead of winter.

Also the Brooklyn Bridge was built so it could greatly increase the value of living in Brooklyn. People at the time began to see Manhattan as a fixed city because of its lack of land and Brooklyn was being increasingly seen as the fix to this. People settle in the more spacious area of Brooklyn while commuting quickly and easily to the large buildings in Manhattan.

Finally, the last reason for the question of why did they build the Brooklyn Bridge is because of its architect John Roebling. People had always wanted to build a bridge connecting Brooklyn to Manhattan because of its obvious benefit, but nobody previous had the technology to pull off such a feat, nor the reputation to convince the City and Government that a plan was actually feasible. It was John Roebling's invention of the wire rope and his perfection of the suspension bridge that even brought up the possibility of successfully completing the bridge, but it was his reputation and standing in the community that allowed people to trust him in his belief that he could pull it off.

Washington Street in Dumbo is probably the place most associated for filming the Brooklyn Bridge, but there are many place to get great shots. Empire Fulton Ferry State park, on the east side of the bridge in Brooklyn is a great place to film the bridge with a view of the sun during sunset or with a wonderful background view of Manhattan. On the Manhattan side, my favorite place to film the bridge is on the edge of the East River and under the FDR just 3 or 4 blocks east of the Fulton Fish Market. This is another great place to get a sunset shot of the bridge.

Yes you can walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. There is a wide pedestrian passage in the center of the bridge that is elevated more than 12 feet above the roadways to allow a breathtaking view of New York City and the East River.

To enter on the Manhattan side of the bridge from Park Row and Centre Street, take the 6 train to the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall station or the J train to Chambers Street.

When you exit the bridge on the Brooklyn side, go get some of New York's best pizza from Grimaldi's. Although keep in mind that there is often to long wait. To get here, go south on Front Street until you hit Old Fulton Street. Turn right and walk to 19 Old Fulton Street.

TIP: Take an umbrella and go during the rain or at night. In my opinion the best time to visit the Brooklyn Bridge is during the rain or at night. The bridge is much less crowded and the site of an empty Brooklyn Bridge is much more magical than a crowded one. Also, the rain saturates the bridge and adds an amazing atmosphere to the East River and the City. It is a breathtaking site that not many people know to take advantage of.

The Brooklyn Bridge is 5,898 feet long, which comes to 1.13 miles.

View of the Financial District from the Brooklyn Bridge, 2003 by James Maher.

- 150,300 people crossed the bridge on opening day in 1883.

- 1,800 vehicles crossed the bridge on opening day in 1883.

- The height of the towers above the water is 276 feet.

- 21 people died in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, including the main architect, John Roebling.

- Total weight of the bridge is 14,680 tons.

- Cost of original struction was $15,100,000

- John Roebling initially estimated that the bridge would take 5 years to complete. It took almost 14 years.

- The bridge was designed to be 6 times stronger than needed. Because of low-grade wires used to make some of the cables, the bridge is only 4 times stronger than needed.

- Con man William McCloundy was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for "selling" the Brooklyn Bridge to a tourist in 1901.

- 144,000 vehicles cross the Brooklyn Bridge each weekday.

- The Brooklyn tower of the bridge rests on bedrock, while the Manhattan side rests on sand.

1. Why did they build the Brooklyn Bridge?

The Brooklyn bridge is a suspension bridge. When it opened in 1883, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world and the first steel-wire suspension bridge.

2. Filming locations below the Brooklyn Bridge. 3. Can I walk across the Brooklyn Bridge? 4. How long is the Brooklyn Bridge? / How many miles is the Brooklyn Bridge? 5. Brooklyn Bridge Interesting Facts. 6. What type of bridge is the Brooklyn Bridge?

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Brooklyn Bridge During Snowstorm at Sunset, 2010 by James Maher. (*I write these articles because I love the city and the incredible stories behind each grand structure. You can help support my photography by purchasing an archival print of the Bridge for your home. Photos with links below them are for sale.)

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Students will learn about and visit the Emily Roebling Steam Camp in order to take part in  building models of caissons, and deep water foundations used in building the world's largest bridges such as the Golden Gate Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge.

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The Secret Engineer behind the building of the Brooklyn Bridge was Emily Roebling- a fact that once was forgotten in history. At the time of the bridge's building, women were not allowed to be engineers but Emily learned engineering and advanced mathematics in order to help her sick husband with the supervision of building the bridge.

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On a warm spring day in 1883, a woman rode across the Brooklyn Bridge with a rooster on her lap.

It was the first trip across an engineering marvel that had taken nearly fourteen years to construct. The woman's husband was the chief engineer, and he knew all about the dangerous new technique involved. The woman insisted she learn as well.

When he fell ill mid-construction, her knowledge came in handy. She supervised every aspect of the project while he was bedridden, and she continued to learn about things only men were supposed to know:

math,
science,
engineering.

Women weren't supposed to be engineers.

But this woman insisted she could do it all, and her hard work helped to create one of the most iconic landmarks in the world.

This is the story of Emily Roebling, the secret engineer behind the Brooklyn Bridge, from author-illustrator Rachel Dougherty.

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Secret Engineer: How Emily Roebling Built the Brooklyn Bridge|Hardcover

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On a warm spring day in 1883, a woman rode across the Brooklyn Bridge with a rooster on her lap. It was the first trip across an engineering marvel that had taken nearly fourteen years to construct. The woman's husband was the chief engineer, and he knew all about the dangerous new...

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To be completed alone or in conjuction with fieldtrip 1 in this unit is a visit to the Brooklyn Bridge Conservancy to participate in the class: The Great Brooklyn Bridge, to learn about the history and "innovative design of the bridge that changed the Brooklyn landscape. Students explore basic bridge engineering concepts and walk to the first tower of the bridge, weather permitting, for an activity."

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Each class is 85 minutes long and can accommodate a maximum of 35 students. The cost for each class is $125 plus a $7.50 booking fee. A limited number of fee waivers are available. To inquire if you qualify please email the Education Department ( ). For more details about program registration and expectations, visit our FAQ section.

If our calendar does not have a program on a date that works for you, feel free to reach out to , as we may be able to accommodate program requests.

THE AWESOME OYSTER (Grades 2-8)

Examine the history of New York Harbor's keystone species: the eastern oyster. Through hands-on investigation, students use the oyster gardens at Brooklyn Bridge Park to investigate East River habitat. Students will encounter the various species that reside in an oyster garden, take scientific measurements, and discover the oyster's historical and ecological importance to the New York Harbor.

GREAT BROOKLYN BRIDGE (GRADES 2-8)

Immerse yourself in the dramatic history and innovative design of the bridge that changed the Brooklyn landscape. Students explore basic bridge engineering concepts and walk to the first tower of the bridge, weather permitting, for an activity.

READING ROCKS (GRADES 2-3)

Dig into how rocks are formed and discover the many types of rocks found in the park.

ROVE THE COVE (GRADES K-8)

Explore the East River estuary and tidal strait. Students investigate and assess the health of the East River by observing, gathering samples, and performing simple water tests. While analyzing specimens, students discuss habitat, characteristics, and environmental adaptations of local organisms.

PLANKTON AND POLLUTION (GRADES 4-12)

What's in the East River water? Is it a healthy place for marine life? Educators will collect water samples and examine the water quality by conducting a series of water chemistry tests, such as temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH. Students will also have the opportunity to see water samples under a microscope and search for plankton, as well as pollution.

Teacher Resources: Pre-Lesson Plan

SEINING THE RIVER WILD (ALL AGES)

Discover the underwater world of the East River. Instructors drag a 20-foot seine net along the bottom of the river bed to catch, identify, and release fish and invertebrates. With prior permission and signed waivers, students over the age of 14 receive instruction and an opportunity to work the nets.

Teacher Resources: Learning standards, Pre-Lesson Plan (K-3), Post-Lesson Plan (K-3), Pre-Lesson Plan (4-8)

SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES (GRADES 5-12)

Examine the sustainable and green design of the park including water conservation, ecological initiatives, and material reuse. A guided tour is embedded with activities and challenges for students that promote a deeper understanding of these innovative concepts.

TREES OF BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK (GRADES K-1)

Learn basic tree anatomy and use age-appropriate field guides to explore and identify the diverse tree species in the park. Students use observation and scientific tools to estimate tree age, diameter, and circumference.

WEATHER ON THE WATER (GRADES K-1)

Use the park's waterfront location to explore attributes of weather. Students use simple weather tools, scavenger hunts, and interactive activities to help understand weather patterns and the water cycle. The class is tailored to address weather conditions of the day.

Teacher Resources: Learning standards, Pre-Lesson Plan, Post-Lesson Plan

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Each class is 85 minutes long and can accommodate a maximum of 35 students. The cost for each class is $125 plus a $7.50 booking fee. A limited number of fee waivers are available. To inquire if you qualify please email the Education Department ( ).

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A walk across the iconic bridge will accompany the text so that students can begin to conceptualize the building of the Brooklyn Bridge.

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After her husband was stricken with "the bends," Emily Roebling took over the job of building the Brooklyn Bridge.

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A text which offers students an understanding of the experiences of workers who endured hazardous conditions to help build one of New York City's most iconic bridges.

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A historical look at the building of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.

This interactive series will enthrall young and reluctant readers (Ages 8-12) by making them part of the story, inviting them to become the main character. Each book uses humorous illustrations to depict the sometimes dark and horrific side of life during important eras in history. A historical look at the building of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, examining its occupational hazards and the massive undertaking required to construct such a structure in the 19th century.

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You Wouldn't Want to Work on the Brooklyn Bridge!: An Enormous Project That Seemed Impossible|Paperback

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A historical look at the building of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.This interactive series will enthrall young and reluctant readers (Ages 8-12) by making them part of the story, inviting them to become the main character. Each book uses humorous illustrations to depict the sometimes...

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A video to explain a tricky concept for children to understand; how bridges are build over water. The video will be especially important as students learn about the making of the Brooklyn Bridge and why construction was halted many time over its construction because of the challenge of building above water.

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British children collaborate with the Guardian to ask refugee children questions such as "What does it feel like to not have a home?" to bring awareness to the plight of refugee children and learn more about their lives before the crisis and welcome them to the UK.

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Kids, refugees, questions: 'What is it like to have no home?'

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Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed  is an informational text set on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan detailing the plight of refugee children. A sandal connects the two main characters in the story as the idea of unseen bridges continues.

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When relief workers bring used clothing to the refugee camp, everyone scrambles to grab whatever they can. Ten-year-old Lina is thrilled when she finds a sandal that fits her foot perfectly, until she sees that another girl has the matching shoe. But soon Lina and Feroza meet and decide that it is better to share the sandals than for each to wear only one. As the girls go about their routines — washing clothes in the river, waiting in long lines for water, and watching for their names to appear on the list to go to America — the sandals remind them that friendship is what is most important. Four Feet, Two Sandals was inspired by a refugee girl who asked the authors why there were no books about children like her. With warm colors and sensitive brush strokes, this book portrays the strength, courage, and hope of refugees around the world, whose daily existence is marked by uncertainty and fear.

Product Details

ISBN-13:

9780802852960

Publisher:

Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company

Publication date:

08/01/2007

Edition description:

New Edition

Pages:

32

Sales rank:

93,944

Product dimensions:

12.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)

Lexile:

620L ( what's this?)

Age Range:

7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Karen Lynn Williams has written several books about the difficult lives of children around the world, including Galimoto (Lothrop, Lee & Shepard), Tap-Tap (Clarion), and Circles of Hope (Eerdmans). Karen has lived in Haiti and Malawi, but now lives in Pit

Khadra Mohammed is the executive director of the Pittsburgh Refugee Center and has worked with refugees both in the U.S. and abroad for more than twenty years. She and Karen Lynn Williams previously collaborated on the acclaimed Four Feet, Two Sandals. Kh

Where do you go when your children ask tough questions about current events? How do you explain things in an age-appropriate manner, without adding fear? As usual, the children's book world is there to help you out. Here is a list of books, from picture books through middle grade, that offer insight into the refugee [...]

Editorial Reviews

Based on Mohammed's work with refugees in the city of Peshawar (on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border), this poignant story centers on two Afghani girls, each of whom ends up with half of a pair of sandals after relief workers bring used clothing to their refugee camp. Lina and Feroza agree to share the shoes, taking turns wearing them and sometimes each wearing one. They also share their stories: Lina tells of her family's midnight flight after her father and sister were killed, and Feroza responds, "I have only my grandmother now." After Lina learns that her family will be able to relocate to America, the girls go back and forth about who should keep the sandals, and ultimately decide to each keep one to better remember the other. Paired with Williams's ( Circles of Hope) straightforward narrative, Chayka's ( The Pink House at the Seashore) acrylic paintings, rendered in broad swaths of color, offer a glimpse of the seldom viewed, chore-filled lives of children in a refugee camp, where only boys can attend school and crowds fight for supplies and clothing. The bright yellow sandals, each decorated with a blue flower, shine against the muted desert landscape, a well-chosen and meaningful symbol of both privation and hope. Ages 7-10. (Oct.)
Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information
Publishers Weekly

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When relief workers bring used clothing to the refugee camp, everyone scrambles to grab whatever they can. Ten-year-old Lina is thrilled when she finds a sandal that fits her foot perfectly, until she sees that another girl has the matching shoe. But soon Lina and Feroza meet and decide that it...

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A map of Afghanistan and Pakistan can help students understand the location of the text and understand the concept of borders as they are central to the refugee crisis in the book.

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An ethnolinguistic map of showing different language and cultural groups across Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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Students will learn more about the man who inspired Emily Arnold McCully's story and who was known as the greatest tightrope walker in history, Charles Blondin.

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Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully is a an informational story inspired by daredevil Blondin and helps students continue to explore unseen bridges through the friendship established by Mirette and tightrope walker, Mr. Bellini.

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Emily Arnold McCully was born in Galesburg, Illinois, and grew up "a daredevil child," always climbing trees or buildings. She made it to college intact, however, and received her B.A. from Brown University and an M.A. in art history from Columbia University.

Emily McCully's artwork has been included in the International Biennale at Bratislava, and she has won a Christopher Award for Picnic, one of the many picture books that she has both written and illustrated.

Writing also for adults, Ms. McCully has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and New York State Council on the Arts. Her book, A Craving was nominated for an American Book Award.

The idea for Mirette on the High Wire began as a biography of real-life daredevil Blondin. But the author changed her mind to accomodate the tree-climbing child and risk-taking adult she was and is.

copyright © 2000 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.

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One day, a mysterious stranger arrives at a boardinghouse of the widow Gateau-a sad-faced stranger, who keeps to himself. When the widow’s daughter, Mirette, discovers him crossing the courtyard on air, she begs him to teach her how he does it. But Mirette doesn’t...

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Making a connection back to New York City, the video features an untethered Philippe Petit walking the tightrope across the old Twin Towers! The video helps students understand the significance of Bellini's problem in the story, and how he was able to overcome his fear.

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Philippe Petit Walks a Tightrope Between the Twin Towers in 1974

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Another resource to help students understand the experiences of the workers who built the Mackinac Bridge as they watch a video about the maintenance of changing one of the bulbs on the bridge today which was featured in the previous story.

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C.R.A.P.: Mackinac Bridge Cable Light Change

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Mackinac Bridge by Gloria Whelan is another informational text about the building of the Mackinac Bridge, centered around one family. The building of the bridge both divides and unites the family for different reasons, and the character of the Mom also acts as a bridge to bring her family back together.

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Mackinac Bridge: The Story of the Five Mile Poem (Tales of Young Americans Series)|Hardcover

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Set in the late 1950s, this is the moving story of a young boy whose father operates a ferryboat between Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas. As young Mark witnesses the building of the new Mackinac Bridge, he is torn between family loyalty and eager anticipation. He can't help being awestruck...

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Live cams of the Golden Gate Bridge and the area surrounding the bridge will give students a better understanding of the impossible conditions workers faced while building the bridge and why everyone thought that the strong currents, wind and fog would make building a bridge impossible.

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Take a look at the Golden Gate Bridge and Crissy Field through our webcam.

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Pop's Bridge by Eve Bunting is a realistic fiction text that helps students understand the experiences of the workers who built the Golden Gate Bridge by detailing the hardships and tragedies faced as well as the teamwork and cultural bridges made possible by the multi-cultural workers of the 1930s.

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EVE BUNTING is the author of many acclaimed books for young readers, including the Caldecott Medal-winning Smoky Night. Her numerous honors include the prestigious Kerlan Award for her body of work. Ms. Bunting lives in Southern California.

C. F. PAYNE has illustrated several books for children, including Brave Harriet: The First Woman to Fly the English Channel and True Heart, both written by Marissa Moss. He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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The Golden Gate Bridge. The impossible bridge, some call it. They say it can't be built. But Robert's father is building it. He's a skywalker--a brave, high-climbing ironworker. Robert is convinced his pop has the most important job on the crew . . . until a frightening event makes...

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Using the google maps feature both in regular mode or in 3D mode will help students connect their learning and explore the San Francisco Bay and the Golden gate Bridge.

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Google Maps Fly under Golden Gate bridge and  around San Francisco with 3D mode

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The Golden Gate Bridge by Jeffrey Zuehlke is an informative text that describes the building of the Golden Gate Bridge with fun facts, captions and photographs. The text will help students with their bridge knowledge and bridge building.

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The Golden Gate Bridge is an important structure in San Francisco, California. Before this bridge was built, people had to take a ferry across the dangerous stretch of water to get to Marin County. Now they simply drive across. Just how long is the Golden Gate Bridge? And how did workers build...

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A chart that helps students learn and reference different non-fiction text features that will aid in their comprehension and  foundational knowledge of bridges as they explore non-fiction texts.

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Use this text features slideshow to help students with their nonfiction reading comprehension. In order for students to comprehend nonfiction text, they must have a good understanding of nonfiction text features. Students should not only be able to identify text features within the text, but they need to understand the purpose of each of the text features and how it can help them understand nonfiction text more easily.

For example, when students understand that headings divide the the text into easier to read sections and tell what those sections are about, it is much easier for them to identify the main topic of different sections.

When students understand that special print, like bold and italics, is included to point out important words, then they are more easily able to figure out what is most important in the text.

Feel free to use the nonfiction text features slideshow below to introduce students to 18 common text features. For full screen, press the arrows beneath the presentation.

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Text Features Slideshow - Teaching Made Practical

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Use this text features slideshow to help students with their nonfiction reading comprehension. In order for students to comprehend nonfiction text, they must have a good understanding of nonfiction text features. Students should not only be able to identify text features within the text, but they need to understand the purpose of each of the text features and how it can help them understand nonfiction text more easily.

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Students will learn about the different types of bridges and the forces that act upon each bridge structure ; making connections to Math and Science, Social Studies, and engineering.

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There are more than half a million bridges in the United States, and you rely on them every day to cross obstacles like streams, valleys, and railroad tracks. But do you know how they work? Or why some bridges are curved while others are straight? Engineers must consider many things -- like the dist…

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" In this online bridge-building simulator you get to try your hand at being an architect. Use your tight budget to plan a bridge that is safe and stable enough to allow a fully loaded truck to pass over it."

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Rating: 2.9 (10559 Votes)

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Rating: 2.9 (10559 Votes)

Bridge Builder

Bridge Builder is a free construction game, where you have to build bridges. In this online bridge-building simulator you get to try your hand at being an architect. Use your tight budget to plan a bridge that is safe and stable enough to allow a fully loaded truck to pass over it. Draw lines and connect them. When you are ready, press the play button to make the vehicle move.

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Designing such a construction isn't easy. You will have to carefully place supporting beams where you can to create something that is safe for public consumption. Beat all puzzles of Bridge Builder and show the laws of physics who's boss. Happy planning with Bridge Builder, a free online game on Silvergames.com!

Controls: Touch / Mouse

Related Games

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Bridge Builder is a free construction game, where you have to build bridges. In this online bridge-building simulator you get to try your hand at being an architect. Use your tight budget to plan a bridge that is safe and stable enough to allow a fully loaded truck to pass ove ..

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Students will be able to apply their developing real world knowledge  of bridge building to a popular game, Fortnite. The video shows bridge planning and construction.

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How to Build a Bridge in Fortnite creative - fortnite creative lets build

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Wooden block manipulatives to help students get first hand experience building bridges with different materials in centers around the classroom. Great resources for collaborative learning.

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As kids' imaginations grow, so does the play value of our wooden blocks! Our classic blocks are precisely related in size and sanded smooth for safe play. Completely freestanding, they're easy to grip and perfect for stacking, building and creating! Set includes 100 blocks in 9 shapes; largest blocks measure 8 1/4" in length.

Customers Say

Customers love the Hardwood Blocks Master Set for its smooth, sturdy pieces that are perfect for small hands. Children from toddlers to pre-teens enjoy building tall structures, creating imaginative scenarios, and integrating them with other toys for years of continuous play.

This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews

These blocks are indestructible in a playroom! They are a superior toy to the foam options and larger in size than just about any wooden block set you will find in the typical stores. I purchased two master sets plus cars and garages to get our collection started. My children build zoos for their animal figures and towers with princess figurines on ledges. Their new favorite is to make towers with ramps and roll the cars down in a race to the end. My favorite part is there are not screens, batteries or volume controls. Just old fashioned fun!

Have been using this set for over five years. It was well loved by my preschoolers and now a favorite indoor recess choice for my 3rd graders.

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The Lakeshore Difference A Teacher-Driven Company

Trusted for over 70 years, Lakeshore's innovative furniture & hands-on materials are designed to meet the real-world needs of educators, students and families-providing purposeful solutions for schools, homes, child care centers, higher education programs, healthcare providers and more. Plus, we're proud to have more than 500 teachers here at Lakeshore-with product developers who bring extensive classroom experience to every item we create.

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As kids' imaginations grow, so does the play value of our wooden blocks! Our classic blocks are precisely related in size and sanded smooth for safe play. Completely freestanding, they're easy to grip and perfect for stacking, building and creating! Set includes 100 blocks in 9 shapes; largest blocks measure 8 1/4" in length.

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A real life Banana Bridge. Students will be able to discuss why the Langston street bridge was nicknamed the Banana Bridge (shape) and colored yellow, and draw comparisons between the silly poem (entertaining text) and the article (informational text) and apply the information to their own bride designs.

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I'm Building a Bridge of Bananas by Jack Prelutsky. A bridge of bananas starts off pretty and strong but rots away, and collapses; connects to materials and bridge-building.

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I'm Building a Bridge of Bananas by Jack Prelutsky

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This article along with others from the website will help students learn about bridges featured in the picture books and deepen their foundational knowledge and conceptual understanding of each story.

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The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses over the San Francisco Bay, going from San Francisco to Marin County, in the U.S. state of California. It was opened for use in 1937. When the bridge was finished, its length of 9,266 ft (2824 m) made it the longest bridge in the world. It carries U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1. There is also a footpath for people and bicycles.

Before the bridge, the only way to go north from San Francisco to Marin County was by ferryboat. The trip by ferry took 20 minutes to complete. Before the bridge was built, San Francisco was the biggest American city still served mostly by ferries. Some experts did not think that people could build a bridge because the water currents between Marin and San Francisco were very strong. Also, the water was very deep in the middle - 102 m - and there was a lot of wind and fog that could make building a bridge difficult.

In 1916, San Francisco's city engineer asked other engineers to offer ideas for a bridge. One man, Joseph Strauss, designed a very cheap bridge - only $17 million, but many thought it was ugly. Local authorities asked him to change the design and to work with other experts. He agreed. He and other experts, especially architect Irving Morrow, designed the bridge again, this time as a suspension bridge. A suspension bridge has tall towers that hold long cables, and the cables hold up or "suspend" the bridge.

The bridge is called the Golden Gate Bridge because it crosses the Golden Gate Strait, the area of water between the San Francisco peninsula and the Marin County peninsula.

In 1930, people in San Francisco and Marin County agreed that the local governments could sell bonds to the public to raise money for the bridge. The new bridge was going to cost $30.1 million. But it was difficult for the governments to sell the bonds at the time because of the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Finally, the Bank of America, which was based in San Francisco, agreed to buy all the bonds to help the local economy.

Construction

Construction began on January 5, 1933 and was finished in April 1937. Eleven men died during the construction, so the builders put a net under the bridge for the safety of the builders. Nineteen men were saved by the net.

When they finished the bridge, they painted it with a reddish-orange sealant, a type of paint that protects the bridge from water and humidity. People liked the color because it looked good with the bridge's surroundings and it was easy to see in the fog, so the bridge was officially painted with the color, called International Orange.

People can cross the bridge in cars or motorcycles any time. During daylight hours, they can cross by bicycle or on foot. They can not cross the bridge on roller skates, skateboards, or mopeds.

When the bridge opened, drivers had to pay 50 cents to cross the bridge in either direction. Today, when drivers go north on the bridge (leaving San Francisco) they do not have to pay, but starting on September 2, 2008, when going south (entering San Francisco), they have to pay $6 if they pay cash or $5 if they buy a Fastrak pass. On April 7, 2014, the tolls increased as part of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District five-year toll and transit fare programs.

Images for kids

Golden Gate with Fort Point in foreground, c. 1891

An original rivet replaced during the seismic retrofit after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. A total of 1.2 million steel rivets hold the bridge's two towers together.

Official invitation to the opening of the bridge. This copy was sent to the City of Seattle.

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The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses over the San Francisco Bay, going from San Francisco to Marin County, in the U.S. state of California. It was opened for use in 1937. When the bridge was finished, its length of 9,266 ft (2824 m) made it the longest bridge in the world.

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From a search engine designed for students, students can learn fun facts about a famous bridge in NY: Brooklyn Bridge, and navigate the website independently to follow lines of inquiry about bridges.

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Brooklyn Bridge Park is an 85-acre (34 ha) park on the Brooklyn side of the East River in New York City. Designed by landscape architecture firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, the park is located on a 1.3-mile (2.1 km) plot of land from Atlantic Avenue in the south, under the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and past the Brooklyn Bridge, to Jay Street north of the Manhattan Bridge. From north to south, the park includes the preexisting Empire-Fulton Ferry and Main Street Parks; the historic Fulton Ferry Landing; and Piers 1-6, which contain various playgrounds and residential developments. The park also includes Empire Stores and the Tobacco Warehouse, two 19th-century structures, and is a part of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, a series of parks and bike paths around Brooklyn.

The park's first portion, Pier 1, opened in 2010. The land for the park was formerly an industrial stretch of waterfront owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. After the city and state signed a joint agreement in 2002, site planning and project funding proceeded. The first work, undertaken in 2007, involved the demolition of a warehouse under the Brooklyn Bridge. Since the opening of Pier 1, several other portions of the park have been completed. As of July 2018, the park was 90% complete. However, there have been disputes and lawsuits over several aspects of Brooklyn Bridge Park, including the construction of residential developments to help pay for the project.

Brooklyn Bridge Park is overseen by the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation, a not-for-profit organization that operates and maintains the park, as well as oversees its construction. The Corporation's mission is to "create and maintain a world class park that is a recreational, environmental and cultural destination enjoyed by residents of, and visitors to, New York City".

In 1642, the first ferry landing opened on the land that is now Brooklyn Bridge Park's Empire Fulton Ferry section. Soon after, a thriving trading economy developed into a small town called "het Veer", meaning "the Ferry". As het Veer grew throughout the 17th century, it became known as the "Road to the Ferry". On August 29, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, het Veer served as a crucial strategic location for George Washington and the Continental Army in the Battle of Long Island. In the middle of the night, Washington's troops evaded the quickly advancing British Army by escaping across the East River to Manhattan.

As the 18th century came to a close, additional ferry services were added to this waterfront community, including docking points for the "Catherine Street Ferry" and the first steamboat ferry landing that was created by Robert Fulton, which eventually became known as the Fulton Ferry Landing. The community continued to grow into the 19th century as Brooklyn Heights developed into a residential neighborhood, eventually becoming one of America's first suburbs, as ramps and bridges to the waterfront were built. By the 1850s, Brooklyn City Railroad rail lines were installed at the Fulton Ferry Landing. During this boom period, brick warehouse development proliferated along the waterfront, and the area soon became known as "the walled city". In addition to the warehouses, the Empire Stores were constructed between 1870 and 1885.

In 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was opened. While the Brooklyn Bridge formed a needed link between Manhattan and Brooklyn, it also disrupted ferry traffic, which reported sharp drops in patronage. In addition, the bridge bypassed the waterfront, spurring more inland development and neglecting the waterfront. The Manhattan Bridge, which opened in 1909, further disrupted trade to this section of the East River. The addition of these two crucial bridges resulted in the demise of this waterfront and the closing of the Fulton Ferry Landing in 1924. The construction of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade in 1950, and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) underneath it in 1954, posed another barrier to accessing the waterfront from Brooklyn Heights.

Throughout the 1950s, over 130 warehouses and 25 smaller "finger piers" were demolished along Brooklyn's waterfront. To accommodate larger ships and cargo, the New York Dock Company built 13 new piers between 1956 and 1964, comprising what is now Piers 1-3 and 5-6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park. However, as trade technology advanced, so did trade routes. By the 1970s, much of the Brooklyn waterfront developments were largely barren and decrepit, causing the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to end cargo ship operations in 1983. Many of these warehouses were demolished or abandoned by the end of the 20th century. One of the last tenants, the New York State Labor Department, continued to occupy a warehouse until 1996. The warehouses on the piers comprising Brooklyn Bridge Park were not demolished until construction began on the park in 2008.

In 1984, shortly after closing cargo ship operations on this stretch of waterfront, the Port Authority decided to sell the vacant piers for commercial development. In response to these plans, the not-for-profit organization Friends of Fulton Ferry Landing was established in 1985, conceiving the idea of Brooklyn Bridge Park.

At the time of the piers' sale, it was estimated that the 87 acres (35 ha) of docklands between Piers 1 and 6 were worth several billion dollars. As early as 1981, developer David Walentas had proposed redeveloping the warehouses as part of a commercial development, but his plans were complicated by a political dispute, and then the stock market crash of 1987. This gave rise to a protracted dispute over a 55-acre (22 ha) parcel of land at the site. The Port Authority wanted to create a riverside residential development with between 2,200 and 8,800 housing units, surrounded by a 20-acre (8.1 ha) park. The Brooklyn Heights Association wanted the park to occupy the majority of the land, 43 acres (17 ha), with hotels and restaurants spread across the length of the park.

As the Friends of Fulton Ferry Landing grew, its name was changed in 1989 to the Brooklyn Bridge Park Coalition, an organization dedicated to advocating for the park's creation, which is now known as the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy. That year, the coalition petitioned Mayor-elect David Dinkins and Governor Mario Cuomo to prevent the Port Authority from immediately selling the site to developers Larry Silverstein and Arthur G. Cohen, who were in talks with the Port Authority to purchase 73.5 acres (29.7 ha) of land for the riverside development. Rather, the coalition wanted Dinkins and Cuomo to allow an alternative plan to be developed. The coalition called for the creation of a special authority, similar to the Battery Park City Authority, to take control of the site.

By 1996, the Port Authority was planning to sell or lease Piers 1 through 5, which were losing money year over year. With planning for the waterfront commencing, Brooklyn Borough President Howard Golden established the Brooklyn Waterfront Local Development Corporation (LDC) in 1998 to complete a year-long planning process for Brooklyn Bridge Park. New York State Senator Martin Connor and Assemblywoman Joan Millman secured $1 million in funding, and the LDC began an intense public outreach process. However this was complicated by various disagreements among members of the LDC, as well as a dispute over why the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy was not part of the LDC. Furthermore, Walentas had announced a new development plan for the area, which would not interfere with the proposed park. Due to strong community opposition, his plan was rejected by the city in December 1999. By February 2000, the Port Authority had agreed to let the piers be developed as a park, rather than for residential or commercial use. Simultaneously, park planners proposed restoring a cove at the site of Walentas's now-canceled development, expanding the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park by 2.3 acres (0.93 ha).

Various disputes emerged during the planning process. The most serious disagreement concerned one key aspect of the project: the inclusion of luxury housing units. While supporters stated that the housing would help fund the park, opponents argued that it was a "Faustian bargain" that would set a precedent for privately owned public parks, and that the inclusion of housing would no longer make the Brooklyn Bridge Park a true park. There were also disputes over whether to place Jane's Carousel within the park; Walentas and his wife Jane had purchased the carousel, built in 1922, at auction at Idora Park, Youngstown and had wanted to include it in their now-canceled development. While the Walentases now wanted to include the carousel within the park, many residents preferred the park remain a quiet open space. Ultimately, the carousel was included in the park plans, and it opened in 2011.

The park development efforts culminated in the Brooklyn Bridge Park Illustrative Master Plan, published in September 2000. Subsequently, in January 2001, New York governor George Pataki announced that the state would contribute $87 million of the then-projected construction cost of $150 million. This coincided with the acquisition of the final 1.16-acre (0.47 ha) plot of land that was needed for the park.

On May 2, 2002, Pataki and New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) wherein New York State and the City of New York agreed to create, develop, and operate Brooklyn Bridge Park on 85 acres (34 ha) of the East River waterfront, stretching from Atlantic Avenue to Jay Street. The MOU also formed the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation (BBPDC) to develop the park, following the guidelines as established by the Illustrative Master Plan. To begin the first phase of construction, New York State, New York City, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey contributed a portion of the $360 million of capital funding for a complete park build out. To ensure the park would be fiscally sustainable throughout the years, the MOU mandated that all park maintenance and operations are required to be economically self-sufficient, financed through revenues from commercial and residential development within the site.

The entirety of the first two phases of the park, including the Main Street dog run, both beach portions and adjacent playgrounds were designed in house by NYC Parks landscape architects. In 2004, BBPDC hired Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc., a landscape architecture firm, to plan, design, and prepare a master plan for the full development of Brooklyn Bridge Park. The park's master plan, unveiled that December, included landscape features such as hills, open plazas, canals, and marshes, as well as recreation features like sports fields, kayaking areas, a waterfront promenade, and playgrounds. The plan also included a hotel, restaurants, stores, and residential projects at the Dumbo and Atlantic Avenue ends of the park. A model of the proposed park was released the following year, and by 2006, the Port Authority had transferred ownership of its piers to BBPDC. The new plans were opposed by the Brooklyn Bridge Park Defense Fund and the Sierra Club, which objected to the inclusion of housing within the park and filed a lawsuit in 2006 to stop the plans. A state judge dismissed the lawsuit ruling that the Defense Fund's claim that the proposed housing violated the state's "public trust" doctrine had no merit since these sites had never been intended to become parkland. On the other end of the spectrum, urban planner Fred Kent lamented the park plans as a missed opportunity for development on the waterfront.

The General Project Plan, approved in 2006, was modified in 2010. In 2011, a new MOU was signed, granting further funding for parkland construction and outlining the requirements for commercial and residential development.

Construction

The first work on the Brooklyn Bridge Park was the demolition in 2007 of the Purchase Building, a warehouse beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. It was to be demolished to make way for an expanded vista at the park. Construction of the park itself began on January 28, 2008, using reclaimed soil from the new World Trade Center's construction. Excavations for the first part of the park, Pier 1, revealed artifacts from the Jewell Milling Company, a business that occupied the site in the 19th century. The project used soil and excess materials from other construction projects around the city, such as the rebuilding of the Willis Avenue Bridge and Roosevelt Island Bridge, as well as East Side Access. The park was described as the "most important public space" to be built in Brooklyn in over a century, akin to Central Park in the late 19th century.

Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park was closed in early 2010 for renovations, and was devolved to Brooklyn Bridge Park's control. The first 6 acres (2.4 ha) of park opened in March 2010 at Pier 1 and contained waterfront walkways, a playground, lookout, and lawn. Later that summer nearly 12 acres (4.9 ha) of parkland opened on Pier 6 and the Pier 2 uplands, bringing playgrounds, sand volleyball courts, concessionaires, and natural habitats to the park.

After Piers 1 and 6 were opened to the public, a nonprofit corporation sharing a name with the park was established to continue parkland construction and to plan for park maintenance and operation. The Empire-Fulton Ferry section, including Jane's Carousel, reopened in September 2011. The same year, Brooklyn Bridge Park won the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence silver medal. Pier 5 subsequently opened in December 2012, followed by the Pier 3 terrace in November 2013 and Piers 2 and 4 in May 2014. Subsequently, the Main Street Park was renovated and expanded in August 2015, and the Pier 6 landscape opened in late 2015. The Tobacco Warehouse was also converted to a performance space in 2015, and Empire Stores opened the following year. By the time Pier 3 opened in July 2018, the park was 90% complete. At that point, only three sections remained to be opened: the Pier 2 uplands; a permanent swimming pool at Squibb Park; and the area under the Brooklyn Bridge, between the Empire-Fulton Ferry section and the rest of the park.

Since opening, the park has led to the construction of residential developments with some of the most expensive housing units in Brooklyn. This included a $19.2 million penthouse, which became the most expensive home in Brooklyn when it was put up for sale in 2017. However, during the development of Brooklyn Bridge Park, groups filed several lawsuits to stop the construction of various developments in the park. A 2014 lawsuit, alleging that a hotel at Pier 1 was too tall, was dismissed in June 2015. Two other suits to halt the construction of an adjacent condominium complex were dismissed in September 2015 and in June 2016. A fourth lawsuit concerning two residential buildings at Pier 6 resulted in a settlement in May 2015 where the heights of these buildings were reduced.

Park sections

Brooklyn Bridge Park spans 85 acres (34 ha) of the East River waterfront in the Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo neighborhoods of Brooklyn. The park is divided into eleven sections: Piers 1 through 6; Fulton Ferry Landing; Brooklyn Bridge Plaza; Empire Fulton Ferry; Main Street; and John Street. Each of these sections features unique topographies, plantings, amenities, and cultural artifacts and installations, and the Brooklyn-Queens Greenway spans the park, as does the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway.

The park includes engineering features such as a water garden used as a storm-reclamation system, a series of hills to block noise from the BQE, and several areas designed with microclimates. Several parts of the park have reused design features from the former warehouses, such as steel trellises and wood. The park's design includes 20 to 30 foot (6.1 to 9.1 m) -high hills between Piers 2-5, which block noise from the BQE viaduct to the east. The hills were estimated to reduce the noise from the BQE from 75 decibels to 68 decibels. The park also incorporates several natural habitats, which have attracted several wildlife species, including the native but now-rare two-spotted lady beetle.

According to landscape architects Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, the park's design is "guided by the concept of 'post-industrial nature...[and] uses unabashedly man-made landscapes to kick-start new site ecologies that can thrive and evolve in a heavy-use urban setting." Above all, the park is meant to serve as a vital threshold connecting the city and the East River. "We realized this park wasn't about scenery," Van Valkenburgh said, "The nature of this park is the river." Van Valkenburgh associate Matthew Urbanski said, "We hope people rethink how to use public spaces after using this park."

Pier 1 and Fulton Ferry Landing

Pier 1 was the first section of parkland, having opened in March 2010. It is located directly south of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Empire-Fulton Ferry section of the park. The pier is Brooklyn Bridge Park's largest and is the only one constructed on filled land rather than pilings. The area includes two landscaped lawns overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge and New York Harbor, a salt marsh with native plants, a playground, a granite lookout, a waterfront walkway, a playground, and various food and drink concessions.

Fulton Ferry Landing is directly adjacent to Pier 1, on the site of Brooklyn's first ferry landing, which opened in 1642. Reopened to the public in 1997, Fulton Ferry Landing provides views of the Manhattan skyline and houses the classical music venue Bargemusic. The landing includes an old fireboat house, which formerly housed the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory between 2001 and 2018. Since 2019, the fireboat house has been run by two concessionaires. The New York Water Taxi and NYC Ferry are also accessible from the landing. The landing contains railings upon which are engraved the Walt Whitman poem "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry", as well as a deck with bronze reliefs of historic events nearby. A pavilion adjacent to the fireboat house was proposed for Fulton Ferry Landing in 2019, but was delayed due to objections by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Squibb Park Bridge, a 450-foot-long (140 m) pedestrian bridge constructed in early 2013, connected Brooklyn Heights' Squibb Park to Pier 1, providing one of several links between Brooklyn Heights and Brooklyn Bridge Park. The bridge was designed to be lightweight and flexible, providing a bouncy feeling to visitors walking over it. However, the bridge bounced too much, and as a result, was closed for renovations in 2014 to strengthen the structure and allow ADA access. The renovations were completed in March 2017, but the bridge was closed again in July 2018, and park officials later decided to replace the wooden bridge with a steel replica. The original bridge was torn down in October 2019; the steel replica is expected to be completed by December 2020.

Pierhouse and 1 Hotel

At the eastern edge of Pier 1 is a 108-unit condominium development called Pierhouse, as well as a 194-key hotel called 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, both developed by Toll Brothers. The developments are designed to blend in with the park design and help pay for the park's maintenance, but both have been controversial. As originally stipulated in the master plan, the park was to be funded partially by the sale of housing units at the boundary of Pier 1. The 2005 draft environmental impact statement (EIS) proposed, among other things, a 110-foot (34 m) residential building that was to replace some warehouses. However, the final EIS was edited to make the building only 100 feet (30 m) high.

Construction on the projects began in 2013 after Toll Brothers won the competition to design the structures. Residents filed a lawsuit in 2014, claiming that the hotel's bulkheads exceeded the height limit for the site, but the lawsuit was dismissed the following June on the grounds that no rules were being violated. Construction on the Pierhouse units was stopped temporarily in January 2015 after its developers proposed raising the building's roof by 3.5 feet (1 m); opponents claimed that the development would block the view of the Brooklyn Bridge from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. A lawsuit to prevent the completion of the Pierhouse was dismissed in September 2015, as was a subsequent lawsuit, in June 2016. The first residents of Pierhouse moved into the building in September 2016, and the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge was opened the following February.

A former warehouse dock, the 5-acre (2.0 ha) Pier 2 opened in May 2014 and is dedicated to active recreation. The pier is surrounded by a waterfront walkway and includes basketball, handball, bocce, and shuffleboard courts; artificial turf; swings; fitness bars; and picnic tables. It also includes restrooms, lockers, bike racks, and water fountains. A warehouse roof, preserved from when the pier was operated by the Port Authority, partially covers the pier. Additionally, Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse operates a free summer kayaking program within the covered inlet. There is also a roller rink on Pie 2.

A pop-up public swimming pool was placed at Pier 2 every summer from 2012 through 2018. The temporary pool was originally slated to be demolished at the end of the 2016 summer season but was kept for two more years due to high demand and popluarity. The pop-up pool closed by the end of the 2018 season and was demolished, to be replaced by the Pier 2 uplands, and construction started on a new permanent pool in the nearby Squibb Park.

Pier 3 and Greenway Terrace

In November 2013, the Greenway Terrace opened on the shoreline adjacent to Pier 3. The terrace contains expansive lawns, a granite terrace, and the first sound-attenuating hill within the park. The granite terrace features salvaged granite blocks within planted areas, surrounded by trees. The granite was salvaged from reconstruction work on the Roosevelt Island Bridge and Willis Avenue Bridge. Working in partnership with NYC Parks, Brooklyn Bridge Park received surplus granite from the bridge reconstruction projects, adding to its sustainable features. Additionally, the Pier 3 hill was formed with salvaged material from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's East Side Access tunneling project. The hills were also raised through the installation of foam blocks. The 20-foot-tall (6.1 m) Hill was created to help mitigate noise from the nearby Brooklyn Queens Expressway, as well as sheltering the park from Furman Street and Brooklyn Heights.

Dahn Vo: We the People, a public art installation inspired by the Statue of Liberty, was on display on Pier 3 from May to December 2014. The sculpture was a copper replica of the statue in 250 parts fabricated over the course of four years using the original techniques and materials. Visitors to Brooklyn Bridge Park saw a replica of the draped sleeve of the statue's arm which holds the golden torch.

On October 20, 2016, construction started on Pier 3. The pier, which extends outward from Greenway Terrace, is 5 acres (2.0 ha) in area and contains the park's only lawn, a maze of mirrors, sound installations, climbable artifacts, and stone seating. It opened on July 11, 2018. The pier includes a playground with historic bollards preserved from the pier's original industrial use.

Pier 4, completed in May 2014, was repurposed from a former railroad car float bridge that had rotted and sunk into the East River. Intended as a wildlife preserve, the pier is planted with native flora, and the beach contains seven tidal pools, some of which are open to the public. In addition, Pier 4 contains boat launches.

A nature preserve called Bird Island is located off the shore of Pier 4. Bird Island contains shrubs, grasses, and trees from salt habitats, as well as three tide pools as an added ecological element. An Osprey platform has been installed to attract large fishing birds. Rip rap stones surround the edge of the island to buffer the beach. Native birds started using the beach once it opened.

On December 13, 2012, Pier 5 officially opened with three athletic fields, two playgrounds and a picnic area, which cover 5 acres (2.0 ha) acres and cost $26 million to develop. The artificial turf fields can be used for soccer, lacrosse, Frisbee, cricket, and rugby by youth and adult leagues and by schools. St. Francis College started hosting its Division I men's soccer home games at Pier 5, and the first Division I game at Pier 5 was held on September 10, 2013. The inland portion of Pier 5 features 57 picnic tables, 24 grills, tetherball courts, and a child-size telescope. The Pier 5 uplands opened in June 2017.

Pier 5 contains a marina which opened in May 2016. After reports of rough water conditions, a new wave-attenuation system was installed at the site and completed in May 2019. The marina also has a floating dock. Pier 5's marina was developed and operated by Edgewater Resources, a marina construction and management company. The community boating program offers free and low-cost kayaking, fishing, and sailing programs, and two percent of revenue is used to fund these programs. In addition, a boathouse near the marina was completed in 2018.

In mid-2010, Pier 6, located at the intersection of Furman Street and Atlantic Avenue (at the site of South Ferry), was the second section of parkland to open. Pier 6 has a diverse array of amenities, including sand volleyball courts, concessionaires, a dog run, and plantings. The pier contains four themed playgrounds: Swing Valley, Slide Mountain, Sandbox Village, and Water Lab, which collectively span 1.6 acres (0.65 ha). Pier 6's flora is mostly composed of native plantings, which include a marsh garden as well as a 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m ²) lawn.

The Pier 6's landscape occupies the outer two-thirds of the pier. Designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, it includes large lawns for events and programs and planted areas to complement the play areas on Piers 5 and 6. There is a shaded area for visitors. The landscaped area of Pier 6 opened in late 2015. The plan originally included a viewing platform at the northwest corner, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group. However, when the landscaped area opened, the proposed viewing platform had not yet been constructed because of a lack of funding. Several historic boats have been moored temporarily near Pier 6, but as of February 2020, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation was seeking a boat for permanent display.

At the eastern edge of Pier 6, there are three developments. The Landing, a 15-story affordable housing and market-rate apartment building with 140 units, and Quay Tower, a 28-story condo building with 126 units, both opened in 2018. One Brooklyn Bridge Park, a converted warehouse, is also located on Pier 6; it was completed in 2007 and contains 449 units.

Pier 6 has been positively regarded for the most part. However, there have been some complaints about the pier entrance's proximity to the BQE ramps, which have been described as a safety concern. In addition, in the park's early years, several groups unsuccessfully sued to prevent the development of the residential developments at Pier 6. Residents filed a lawsuit in August 2014 to try to stop these developments from being built, but a legal settlement in May 2015 allowed these towers to be built, with height restrictions.

Main Street

Spanning 4.8 acres (1.9 ha) of the easternmost section of parkland, underneath the Manhattan Bridge, Main Street opened in December 2002 and was originally operated by NYC Parks. It came under the jurisdiction of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation on December 1, 2010. Main Street features a nautical-themed playground, a dog run and expansive lawns that provide views of the Manhattan skyline.

The Main Street portion of the park was renovated in 2015. The Main Street renovation included an expanded lawn, an upgraded dog run, improved pedestrian and bicycle circulation, an entry plaza at Washington Street and a rock climbing wall. The project also entailed the construction of John Street Park, which includes a 13,000-square-foot (1,200 m ²) lawn, pathways and a salt marsh. In April 2016, a company called the Cliffs opened DUMBO Boulders, a bouldering area at Main Street. With a capacity of 250 climbers, it was the largest bouldering facility in North America when it opened.

Empire-Fulton Ferry

The Empire-Fulton Ferry section of the park is 4.5 acres (1.8 ha) of waterfront parkland that is directly adjacent to Main Street to the west. It connects to Pier 1 to the south. This part of the park was formerly a state park, but was incorporated into Brooklyn Bridge Park in 2010. It contains a lawn with picnic areas, as well as a promenade facing the East River. Two Civil-War era structures, the Tobacco Warehouse and Empire Stores, are located on the site; both are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Tobacco Warehouse

Until 2010, the Tobacco Warehouse, which lacked a roof, was part of the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park. That year, the National Park Service (NPS) designated St. Ann's Warehouse, a venue for theater and community use located across the street, as the lessee for the Tobacco Warehouse. The proposed agreement came with stipulations since the park had received some federal funding. The city redrew the zoning maps thus situating the warehouse on city property, leading to a lawsuit by opponents. The NPS's move to designate St. Ann's as the lessee for the warehouse was revoked by court order in 2011. The following year, the city reached an agreement where it would give the warehouse to St. Ann's in exchange for constructing an additional 1 acre (0.40 ha) of parkland underneath the Brooklyn Bridge.

A design for the theater was revealed in 2013. In its roofless state, the Tobacco Warehouse was shaped like a trapezoid, composed of a rectangle and adjacent triangle. Marvel Architects designed a 18,000-square-foot (1,700 m ²) enclosed performance space; a 1,000-square-foot (93 m ²) community area; and various rooms for community, educational, and office use. The design called for the preservation of the building's original brick walls, and for the creation of a 7,600-square-foot (710 m ²) roofless landscaped area in the warehouse's triangular section, which would serve both as a publicly accessible park space and as an entrance to the theater. The warehouse opened in 2015.

Empire Stores

Empire Stores comprises seven buildings with a total of 330,000 square feet (31,000 m ²) of space. In 2013, Brooklyn developer Midtown Equities was selected to redevelop the abandoned Empire Stores warehouses into a mix of commercial and office space, designed by Studio V Architecture. The plan contained commercial and office space; restaurants and event areas; and a publicly accessible central passageway, courtyard, and rooftop. Many of the original design features were retained, such as schist walls, iron hoisting wheels, and coffee chutes. Midtown Equities originally intended to open Empire Stores in 2015. The flagship West Elm store, opened in August 2016, was the first tenant to open in Empire Stores. followed by the Brooklyn Historical Society's Dumbo exhibition space in May 2017. Upon the opening of other shops, Empire Stores' waterfront location quickly became a popular spot for selfies, especially those with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background.

Western area

After reconstruction, the western part of the park opened in mid-2011 with new park plantings, improved lighting and the restored Jane's Carousel donated by David and Jane Walentas as a gift to the park. It is housed in an acrylic and steel pavilion designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, which opened September 15, 2011. The carousel is maintained and operated by the nonprofit Friends of Jane's Carousel.

In October 2016, a large, 9-by-12-foot (2.7 by 3.7 m) sign with the word "DUMBO" on it was placed in the John Street area of the park. The sign, called the DUMBO Reflector, is created by neighborhood artist David Crumley. The interactive sign allows for people in the area to use hashtags to interact with the sign's displays.

The River Café is located in the western part of the Empire-Fulton Ferry section, directly southwest of the Brooklyn Bridge and north of Pier 1.

One of the last parts of Brooklyn Bridge Park remaining to be constructed is a plaza under Brooklyn Bridge, which is to be located on the site of the Purchase Building that was destroyed in 2008. However, as of 2017, there were disputes over what to do with the space, since some area residents wanted to discuss other options for the site. The site had also been proposed as the possible location of an ice skating rink, but this was also in dispute.

Transportation

The B61 and B63 buses serve the southern sections of the park, while the B25 bus serves the northern sections. The closest New York City Subway station is located at Clark Street, along Henry Street, serving the IRT Broadway-Seventh Avenue Line (2 and ​3 train). The subway tunnel runs underneath Pier 2, and its path can be approximated by the absence of pilings under the pier. Also within the park, two canals mark the location of the Cranberry Street Tunnel, used by the and ​ train. Brooklyn Bridge Park's Piers 1 and 6 have been served by NYC Ferry's South Brooklyn route since 2017. NYC Ferry's East River route also serves Pier 1.

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Brooklyn Bridge Park is an 85-acre (34 ha) park on the Brooklyn side of the East River in New York City. Designed by landscape architecture firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, the park is located on a 1.3-mile (2.1 km) plot of land from Atlantic Avenue in the south, under the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and past the Brooklyn Bridge, to Jay Street north of the Manhattan Bridge.

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An engineering website that explains to students and adults the 7 main type of bridge structures used worldwide, and why each is important in its design. Each explanation also lists fun facts about bridges.

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There are 7 main types of bridges: Arch Bridge, Beam Bridge, Cable-stayed Bridge, Cantilever Bridge, Suspension Bridge, Truss Bridge, Tied Arch Bridge. The way in which the vertical/horizontal stresses are managed dictates the structure of different bridges. In some cases the deck area will be the load-bearing element while in others it will be the towers. There are also designs that transmit tension through bridge cables which allow a degree of flexibility for different terrains.

One interesting factor when looking at different bridge designs is their longevity and the fact they have been around for centuries. Many of the world's greatest engineers have failed to add any significant improvements to the basic load-bearing designs of years gone by. We will now take a look at the different types of bridges and how they work.

Types of bridges

The 7 main types of bridges are:

The 5 main types of bridges are:

Beam Bridges

A beam bridge is one of the simplest types of bridge. A perfect example being a basic log bridge - something you may see while out on a country walk.

The deck area traditionally consists of wood plank or stone slabs (often referred to as a clapper bridge). These are supported either side by two beams running between abutments/piers.

Very often you will find other beams, positioned in between the main beams, offering additional support and stability.

The area over which people or vehicles travel will be a simple decking positioned vertically across the underlying beams. This is often referred to as a "simply supported" structure. There is no transfer of stress which you see in arch structures and other types of bridges.

Truss bridges

The truss bridge has been around for literally centuries and is a load-bearing structure which incorporates a truss in a highly efficient yet very simple design. You will notice an array of different variations of the simple truss bridge but they all incorporate triangular sections. The role of these triangular elements is important because they effectively absorb tension and compression to create a stressed structure able to accommodate dynamic loads. This mixture of tension and compression ensures the structure of the bridge is maintained and the decking area remains uncompromised even in relatively strong winds.

Cantilever bridges

When the first cantilever bridge was designed it was seen as a major engineering breakthrough. The bridge works by using cantilevers which may be simple beams or trusses. They are made from pre-stressed concrete or structural steel when used to accommodate traffic. When you consider that the horizontal beams making up the cantilever arm are only supported from one side it does begin to sound a little dangerous. However, the two cantilever arms are connected by what is known as the "suspended span" which is effectively a centrepiece which has no direct support underneath. The bridge load is supported through diagonal bracing with horizontal beams as opposed to typical vertical bracing. Extremely safe and very secure, the design of cantilever bridges is one which still lives on today.

Arch Bridges

There are many different types of arch bridge but they all have central elements in common. Each bridge has abutments, which are used to support the curved arch structure under the bridge. The most common type of arch bridge is a viaduct, a long bridge made up of many arches. The lateral pressure created by the arch span is transferred into the supporting abutments. It is therefore essential that these parts of the bridge remain solid, intact and well founded. You will see many arch bridges with decorative brickwork which is an integral part of the design. Simple yet so very effective an arch bridge can carry everything from pedestrians to heavy rail.

Tied Arch Bridges

The tied arch bridge is a fascinating design which incorporates an arch structure (usually metal) supported by vertical ties between the arch and the deck. The tips of the arch structure are connected by a bottom chord. This acts in a similar fashion to the string of a bow. The downward pressure from the arch structure to the deck of the bridge is translated into tension by the vertical ties. Many people assume that the abutments ensure that the tied arch bridge and arch structure stay in place. However it is the decking/strengthened chord which connects the tips of each end of the arch together. The best example of this is a bowstring which absorbs pressure, keeping both sides of the bow in contact, until it eventually flattens out.

Suspension Bridges

The structure of a stereotypical suspension bridge looks very simple but the design is extremely effective. The deck of the suspension bridge is the load-bearing element of the structure. This is held in place by vertical suspenders which support the cables. The suspension cables extend out beyond each side of the bridge and are anchored firmly into the ground. It will depend upon the size of the bridge but a number of towers will be installed to hold up the suspension cables. Any load applied to the bridge is transformed into tension across the suspension cables which are the integral part of the structure. As there is some "give" in the suspension cables this can translate into slight, but measured, bridge movement in difficult weather conditions.

Cable-stayed bridges

A cable stayed bridge is dependent upon towers/pylons which are the load-bearing element of the structure. Cables are connected from the pylons to the deck below. Either directly from the top of the tower or at different points of the column. When connected at different points of the column this creates a fan like pattern. This is the feature many people associate with cable stayed bridges. This type of structure tends to be used for distances greater than those achieved with a cantilever bridge design but less than a suspension bridge. One of the main issues with this type of bridge is that the central connection of the cables can place horizontal pressure on the deck. Therefore, the deck structure needs to be reinforced to withstand these ongoing pressures.

What is the most expensive type of bridge to build?

If you look at the vast majority of expensive bridges you will see a pattern, they tend to be suspension bridges. So, the answer to the question, what is the most expensive type of bridge to build is simple, a suspension bridge!

There are a number of reasons why they tend to be so expensive. Firstly they offer the ability to span huge distances (up to 7000 feet) - a span which is out of the reach of other bridge designs. The size of the towers, materials used and the installation of what is known as a deck truss beneath the bridge deck all add to the significant costs. We have come a long way from the first suspension bridges which were apparently made of twisted grass. The cost of today's larger suspension bridges will regularly exceed $1 billion!

What is the best type of bridge?

From the point of view of strength, Truss Bridge provides the best strengh to weight ratio. In other words, it can hold the most weight per weight of its construction materials. The section below goes into more detail.

Which type of bridge is strongest?

Even though the truss bridge design has been around for literally centuries it is widely regarded as the strongest type of bridge. The design itself looks extremely simple, so what makes it the strongest type of bridge and why?

This is a load-bearing bridge which consists of an array of triangular structures. Interestingly, the triangular beam structures are pinned in place rather than rigidly connected which is important when spreading the load. The vibrations caused by traffic moving over the bridge or even weather conditions are not isolated; instead they are spread right across the bridge structure, moving between triangular sections. As the load is spread right across the bridge this also increases overall stability and reduces flexing.

What is the most common type of the bridge?

The Beam Bridge is the most common type of the bridge. It is also the simplest to build - please see the detailed description above.

Conclusion

When you look at the different types of bridges and how they work, it opens up a whole new area of design engineering. What many of us assume to be an aesthetic feature of a modern day bridge is often an integral part of the design. These features often help control tension and stress in a variety of ways. It is also interesting to see that different bridge designs are suitable for different terrains. The fact that many of these basic designs go back centuries says everything about their viability, durability and safety.

Also read:

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Image sources:

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Types of Bridges. The 7 Main Types - EngineeringClicks

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There are 7 main types of bridges: Arch Bridge, Beam Bridge, Cable-stayed Bridge, Cantilever Bridge, Suspension Bridge, Truss Bridge, Tied Arch Bridge. The way in which the vertical/horizontal stresses are managed dictates the structure of different bridges. In some cases the deck area will be the load-bearing element while in others it will be the towers.

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A photograph rich website which lists the 55 most famous bridges in the world along with facts about what makes each bridge so unique and amazing!
55 Most Famous Bridges In The World | Ultimate List (listerious.com)

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A SciFi Show for kids that explains why bridges are necessary, and how different materials and designs affect the strength of a bridge.

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What Makes Bridges So Strong? | Engineering for Kids | STEAM | SciShow Kids