The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge

Living in New York, you see a lot of bridges... Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Tappan-Zee Bridge, George Washington Bridge... you get the idea. My favorite of all of the bridges is the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, which connects Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to Staten Island. I've come to visit this bridge quite a lot with taking road trips down to Virginia to visit my parents and I'm always in awe of it. No, its not as historically significant as the Brooklyn or Manhattan bridge and no, its not a direct link to Manhattan, but in terms of design, I think this bridge is the most aesthetically pleasing.

A little history on the bridge, courtesy of Wikipedia:

The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is a double-decked suspension bridge that connects the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn in New York City at the Narrows, the reach connecting the relatively protected upper bay with the larger lower bay.


The bridge is named for Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, the first known European navigator to enter New York Harbor and the Hudson River, while crossing The Narrows. It has a center span of 4,260 feet (1,298 m) and was the largest suspension bridge in the world at the time of its completion in 1964, until it was surpassed by theHumber Bridge in the United Kingdom in 1981. It now has the eighth longest center span in the world, and is the largest suspension bridge in the United States. Its massive towers can be seen throughout a good part of the New York metropolitan area, including from spots in all five boroughs of New York City.


The bridge furnishes a critical link in the local and regional highway system. It is the starting point of the New York City Marathon. The bridge marks the gateway to New York Harbor; all cruise ships and most container ships arriving at the Port of New York and New Jersey must pass underneath the bridge and thus must be built to accommodate the clearance under the bridge. This is most notable in the case of the ocean liner RMS Queen Mary 2.

The bridge is in great condition and its got a really beautiful, clean lined design - very Mid-Century Modern. The color blends beautifully with the surrounding water and you can see amazing views of it from Shore Road in Brooklyn and the Belt Parkway.

Click here for an interesting site with more information on the bridge.
Also check out the Bridge and Tunnel Club website for more information and photos.

All photos courtesy of the Bridge and Tunnel Club website.