Greenpoint Avenue Bridge
{{Short description|Bridge between Brooklyn and Queens, New York}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox bridge
|fetchwikidata=coordinates
|bridge_name= Greenpoint Avenue Bridge
|image= Greenpoint Av Bridge from below in Brooklyn jeh.jpg
|caption= From Brooklyn
|official_name= J. J. Byrne Memorial Bridge
|also_known_as=
|carries=
|crosses= Newtown Creek
|locale= Brooklyn and Queens, New York City
|maint= New York City Department of Transportation
|id=
|design= Bascule bridge
|mainspan= {{convert|180|ft|m}}
|length=
|width= {{convert|70|ft|m}}
|clearance=
|below= {{convert|26|ft|m}}
|open= 1987
|closed=
|toll=
| preceded = Pulaski Bridge
| followed = Kosciuszko Bridge
|map_cue=
|map_image=
|map_text=
|map_width=
|coordinates={{Coord|40|44|0|N|73|56|25|W|type:landmark_region:US-NY|display=inline,title}}
|lat=
|long=
}}
The Greenpoint Avenue Bridge is a drawbridge that carries Greenpoint Avenue across Newtown Creek between the neighborhoods of Greenpoint, Brooklyn and Blissville, Queens in New York City. Also known as the J. J. Byrne Memorial Bridge, the bridge is named after James J. Byrne, who served as Brooklyn Borough President from September 1926 until he died in office on March 14, 1930. Previously, Byrne was the Brooklyn Commissioner of Public Works.{{cite web |title=J.J. Byrne Park Historical Sign |url=http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/historical_signs/hs_historical_sign.php?id=181 |work=New York City Department of Parks and Recreation |access-date=September 26, 2009}}
History
File:Greenpoint Avenue Bridge opened for a ship (2010).jpg
The Greenpoint Avenue Bridge is the sixth bridge to cross Newtown Creek in this location. In the 1850s, Neziah Bliss built the first drawbridge, which was called the Blissville Bridge. It was followed by three other bridges before being replaced by a new bridge in March 1900.{{cite web |title=Greenpoint Avenue Bridge Over Newtown Creek |url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bridges/green.shtml |work=New York City Department of Transportation |access-date=September 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221073357/http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bridges/green.shtml |archive-date=February 21, 2010 |url-status=dead }} A new bridge opened in 1929 and after suffering from mechanical problems it was replaced by the current structure in 1987.{{cite news |title=State Will Build New City Bridge |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/06/nyregion/the-city-state-will-build-new-city-bridge.html |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The New York Times |date=September 6, 1984 |access-date=September 26, 2009}}
Designed by Hardesty & Hanover, the Greenpoint Avenue Bridge was the recipient of an American Institute of Steel Construction Award in 1991.{{cite book |title=Guide to Civil Engineering Projects In and Around New York City |edition=2nd |publisher=Metropolitan Section, American Society of Civil Engineers |year=2009 |pages=45–46}}
On March 30, 2009, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg held a press conference at the Greenpoint Avenue Bridge, announcing that it would receive $6 million in federal stimulus funds, which will be used to rehabilitate the bridge.{{cite news |title=Brooklyn Bridge to get face-lift thanks to Feds, says Bloomberg |first=Adam |last=Lisberg |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/03/30/2009-03-30_brooklyn_bridge_to_get_facelift_thanks_t.html |newspaper=Daily News |location=New York |date=March 30, 2009 |access-date=September 26, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090331235910/http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/03/30/2009-03-30_brooklyn_bridge_to_get_facelift_thanks_t.html |archive-date=March 31, 2009}}
In 2011, the NYCDOT proposed an extension of the existing Greenpoint Avenue bike lane on the Brooklyn side across the bridge into Queens. The project was completed in 2015.{{cite press release | author = | date=July 2, 2015 | title=NYC DOT Completes Installation of Protected Bike Lanes on Greenpoint Avenue Bridge, Connecting Queens and Brooklyn | url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pr2015/pr15-072.shtml | agency=New York City Department of Transportation | access-date=January 12, 2017}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Greenpoint Avenue Bridge (1987)}}
- {{official website|http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/infrastructure/bridges-newtown.shtml#greenpoint}}
{{NYC Bridge}}
Category:Bascule bridges in New York (state)
Category:Bridges completed in 1987
Category:Road bridges in New York City
Category:Bridges in Queens, New York
Category:1987 establishments in New York City