MTA Bridges and Tunnels Celebrates 60th Anniversary of the Opening of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Bridges and Tunnels is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, which has served as a vital link to the regional transportation network connecting Staten Island and Brooklyn since 1964. When it opened on Nov. 21, 1964, it was the world’s largest suspension span and today, remains the longest suspension bridge in North America at a total 9,865 feet between abutments. Designed by renowned civil engineer Othman Amman, this significant engineering achievement carries more than 1,600 MTA buses every weekday and carried over 80 million vehicles in 2023.
“The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, now in its 60th year, remains the longest suspension bridge in the Americas and one of the most used bridges in the metro area, handling over 200,000 vehicles every day,” said MTA Bridges and Tunnels President Catherine Sheridan. “As a critical connecter between Staten Island and Brooklyn, and a key component for regional commerce, we’re committed to keeping the bridge in excellent condition for decades to come.”
Named after Giovanni da Verrazzano, who, in 1524, was the first European explorer to sail into New York Harbor, the bridge has a total of 13 traffic lanes: six lanes on the upper level (three each direction) plus a reversible seventh bus/HOV lane, and six lanes (three each direction) on the lower level. Its monumental 693-foot-high towers are 1-5/8 inches further apart at their tops than at their bases because the 4,260-foot distance between them made it necessary to compensate for the earth’s curvature. Each tower weighs 27,000 tons and is held together with three million rivets and one million bolts. Seasonal contractions and expansions of the steel cables cause the double-decked roadway to be 12 feet lower in the summer than in the winter.
