Page 234 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - New York City

232  NE W Y ORK CIT Y AREA B Y AREA

1 Brooklyn Bridge

Completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the largest
suspension bridge in the world and the first to be made of steel.
Engineer John A. Roebling conceived of a bridge spanning over
the East River while ice-bound on a ferry to Brooklyn. The bridge
took 16 years to build, required 600 workers, and claimed over
20 lives, including Roebling’s. Most died of caisson disease (known
as “the bends”) after coming up from the underwater excavation Souvenir medal cast for
chambers. When finished, the bridge linked Manhattan and the opening of the bridge
Brooklyn, then two
separate cities.
Brooklyn Bridge
From making the wire to
sinking the supports, the
bridge was built using
new techniques.

Anchorage Caissons
The ends of the bridge’s The towers rose up above
four steel cables are caissons, each the size of
fastened to a series of four tennis courts, which
anchor bars held in place provided a dry area for
by anchor plates. These underwater excavation. As
are held down by giant work went on, they sank
granite vaults up to three deeper beneath the river.
stories high. Their vast
interiors, once used for
storage, are now used for Shaft
summer art displays.

Anchor Plates
Each of the four cast-iron
Granite vault anchor plates holds one
cable. The masonry was built up around
Cable to tower them after they were placed in position.
Anchor bar
Anchor plates

Anchor plate Central span is 1,595 ft (486 m) long
Vault Vault

Roadway from anchorage to anchorage is 3,579 ft (1,091 m)

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