MTA Bridges and Tunnels Celebrates 60th Anniversary of the Opening of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge

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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.

A series of major investments and enhancements have been implemented over several capital plans to adapt to evolving traffic flow and improve road safety, including the replacement and reconfiguration of the upper-level to meet current loads, improve wind resilience, and provide a reversible bus/HOV peak-travel lane. These improvements, along with the conversion to Open Road Tolling in 2017, have enhanced the bridge's functionality and reduced travel time by up to 15-20 minutes for tens of thousands of daily commuters and bus riders.

Since 1976, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge has served as the starting point of the annual New York City Marathon, where more than 50,000 participants crossed the span during this year's race held the first Sunday in November. Conversely, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge is the finish line of the annual Five-Boro Bike Tour, held the first Sunday in May.

Located at the mouth of Upper New York Bay, the bridge not only connects Brooklyn with Staten Island and routes to New Jersey, but also serves as a critical economic and regional transportation link in the interstate highway system, providing the shortest route between the Middle Atlantic States and Long Island. In Brooklyn, the bridge connects to the Belt Parkway and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and to the community of Bay Ridge. On Staten Island, which saw rapid development after the bridge opened in 1964, it joins the Staten Island Expressway, providing access to the many communities in the most suburban borough of New York City.

Over the past six decades, regular maintenance and upgrades have been crucial in ensuring the bridge remains in a state of good repair and efficiently meets demands of today's travel patterns. Upcoming capital projects like cable dehumidification - a proven technique to minimize corrosion and preserve a bridge's cables - will continue to ensure its safety and durability for many years to come.