The Reconstruction of the Brooklyn Bridge in all aspects regarding the Bridge’s presence is more significant than the construction of the Bridge, as it illustrates the modifications necessary to fit the demands of current day New York City. The Bridge is an extended ligament to many; it is used daily and with full potency but has decreased in convenience. The Brooklyn Bridge, also regarded by many as the eight wonder of the world, it has historical value to those who can appreciate it. However to more practical crowds it has been outgrown substantially by daily users. The Bridge, though holding some records and other remarkable characteristics, is no longer applicable to New Yorkers of today. Therefore making this bridge ineffective and unproductive to the needs of our time. Though it is still used, perhaps the rehabilitation or replacement of its useless features can make it a replenished eight wonder of the world for New Yorkers in need of an updated bridge.
John A. Roebling was a civil engineer who designed the Brooklyn Bridge in the early 1800’s. Although he fabricated the design he never got to experience the bridge’s opening day. His dedication was demonstrated greatly as he died after crushing his foot in an accident on the bridge itself. Roebling became especially skilled in the construction of suspension bridges, like the Brooklyn Bridge. He became educated and trained as an engineer at Berlin’s Royal Polytechnic Institute. In 1866 a company called “The New York Bridge Company” was founded and they hired John as a chief engineer. “When completed in 1883, the bridge, with its massive stone towers and a main span of 1,595.5 feet between them, was by far the longest suspension bridge in the world”. (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jun12.html). The Brooklyn Bridge was a necessity and in demand during the early 1800’s in New York City, because the vastly populated Manhattan which housed 400,000 residents, twice as many residents as there are today. The resolution to this predicament was the development of the Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge. People and goods that commuted between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn could cross the East River quickly, regardless of weather conditions or any other once interfering circumstances. This was not the first time building a bridge over the East River was discussed, it was talked about as long as anyone could remember, but nothing was executed until the 1800‘s.The bridge had two central purposes which were to bear the weight of four immense cables, and they would hold both the cables and the roadway of the bridge high enough so they would not interfere with traffic on the river. The bridge was designed to have a load capacity of 18,700 tons. The 276-foot neo-Gothic granite towers, which feature two arched portals, were built to withstand strong winds and provide support for rail lines. In August 1876, the two anchorages were linked across the East River for the first time by a wire rope. The purpose of the webs of wire and steel would hold up the two towers .They designed two elevated railroad tracks, which were connected to elevated railroad systems in New York and Brooklyn, down to the center of the bridge. On the other side, they designed four lanes, two lanes on two outer roadways. To be used for carriages and horseback riders. Right over the track they provided an elevated promenade for pedestrians and bicyclists. The footpath of the bridge allowed you to cross the river in peace by not being bothered by the traffic on the lower life and also offered a great view of the downtown Manhattan Skyline. “Even before it opened, the Brooklyn Bridge had become a symbol of not only of the greatness of New York, but also of American ingenuity”. (http://www.nycroads.com/crossings/brooklyn/) All these features provided an aesthetic appeal as well as purpose and a great deal of productivity between Brooklyn and Manhattan. Fundamentally though it was composed and more inclined to fit the entailment’s of the 19th century lifespan in regards to means of productivity.
The Brooklyn Bridge will always hold its historical values and significant but NYC believes that it’s time for reconstruction. In 2003, shortly after the August 14 citywide blackout-during which the bridge was used by pedestrian’s people walking over the bridge, had trouble keeping balance as the bridge not only bounced but swayed.” By 2008, however, Popular Mechanics magazine has named the landmark one of the 10 pieces of U.S. Infrastructure the country needs to fix immediately”. (http://newyork.construction.com/new_york_construction_projects/2010/0601-BrooklynBridge.asp). After being inspected in 2008 and was rated as “poor” they decided to reconstruct the bridge with a rehabilitation plan that will cost 508 million dollars. It will take about four years to complete and 30million contribution will be provided by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding. New York City capital funds will finance 286 million and the remaining 192 million will be financed by other federal funding sources. The rehabilitation project is comprised of bridge deck replacement, repainting of steel elements, increasing the number of lanes on the ramps, replacement of the existing membrane system, closure walls and Brooklyn Bridge access roads, the present roadway pavement above the arch blocks and masonry structures will be renovated, sprayed-on waterproofing membrane will be covered by a precast concrete roadway slab, precast concrete-filled steel grid deck panels will be used to replace the existing deck on both the Manhattan and Brooklyn sides, the decks will be replaced panel by panel to minimize the noise produced by drilling and jackhammers, painting work will be carried out to prevent the steel from being spoiled by rust, dust collection, vacuum and recycling instruments will be used to cut down the environmental air quality hazards, and abrasive blasting techniques will be used to remove the existing protective coating and the whole painting operation will be implemented in accordance with US Environmental Protection Act and New York State Department of Environment conservation requirements.” According to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, New York, the bridge’s original colour (which is officially called Brooklyn Bridge Tan) will be restored”. ( http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/brooklynbridgerehabi/) The reconstruction of the bridge is said to cause serious problems concerning traffic, as it focuses on operating on increments of the bridge at a time. Where the bridge was built at exceeding exceptions in the 19th Century, it has quickly been outgrown and shows desperate need for reconstruction or in the more cautious eyes, a rebuilding from top to bottom. The blueprints for rehabilitation of the Bridge illustrate the predicament that this outdated bridge presents. Ultimately the renovation is necessary to provide New Yorkers with full functionality; however it is arguable that the old bridge is causing interference of its potential as well as more expenses to the city for renovations instead of replacements.
The first establishment of the Brooklyn Bridge was a great feat in history, especially showing great benefits to New York City economically and politically. However when the construction of this Bridge was executed, it was designed and directed to conform to the needs of the 19th Century NYC not the 21st Century. Frankly two centuries is much too much time to develop new needs and undergo different frames of interpretation for what might be appropriate for the current demographic. Where in the 19thcentury, the Bridge was seen to provide a new route of transportation and connections between Brooklyn and Manhattan, there are various bridges of today that fit the means of the population and of transporting. Apart from this, today we could’ve built a grander, more efficient bridge to fit today’s needs, something I’m sure regards people more noteworthy. Where the event of the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge was celebrated, it is not forgotten the price at which the city had to pay and so today we pay that price again with reconstruction. The reconstruction is occurring because the bridge is no longer the eighth wonder of the world, though it holds historic significance, it holds little to no value to the average New Yorker. Instead the bridge is constant reminder of the burdens that it causes for the lack of necessitating today’s needs. It is apparent that the original four lanes, two outer roadways and walkway for pedestrians using the bridge in their own leisure isn’t’ the sole purposes of the Bridge anymore. The Bridge demanded by New Yorkers provides double the lanes, a walkway to accommodate pedestrians in emergency conditions and many more constructive scheming. By all accounts the Brooklyn Bridge is a landmark for viewing and not to be utilized by colossal residents. The rehabilitation is a desperate call from New Yorkers and the Brooklyn Bridge in its original form is only a notion to be celebrated and no longer pursued.
Ultimately the reconstruction of the Brooklyn Bridge is more urgent then the construction of the Bridge, as it demonstrates the needed transformation to fit the demands of New York City in its present time. Essentially the Brooklyn Bridge served its purpose and residents many innovative transportation needs for decades of times. With the demand for a new bridge or even minor modifications, it is unknown if the Bridge if better off one way of the other. However with the appetite for bigger purposes the Brooklyn Bridge is merely a historical landmark, not a serviceable appendage to New Yorkers as we would like it to be.
Citation:
“Brooklyn Bridge Rehabilitation Project, New York, United States of America.” Brooklyn Bridge Rehabilitation Project, New York. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2013.
“Brooklyn Bridge Renovation.” ENR New York. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2013.
“Brooklyn Bridge Renovation.” ENR New York. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2013.
“Today in History.” : June 12. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.
