Bear Mountain Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Bear Mountain Bridge is a toll suspension bridge
in New York State, carrying U.S. Highways 202
and 6
across the Hudson River
between Rockland
and Westchester
counties. From the time of its completion in 1924, it held the record for the longest suspension bridge in the world for 19 months, until it was surpassed by the Benjamin Franklin Bridge
in Philadelphia.
The span enables connections to the Palisades Interstate Parkway
and U.S. Highway 9W on the west bank near Bear Mountain Inn
to New York State Route 9D
on the east. It also carries the Appalachian Trail
and New York State Bicycle Route 9 across the Hudson.
The span includes pedestrian walkways on both sides of the bridge. Cyclists are welcome on the roadway or may walk their cycles on the pedestrian walkway.
and Anthony's Nose. The intent was to carry a railroad toward Derby, Connecticut
, to supply coal and iron for industry in the lower Naugatuck Valley. The surface of the bridge was to be 150 feet (45.7 m) above high tide. In 1871 the newspaper reported that capital of $2.5 million had been raised and construction was expected to begin in 1875.
In 1887, reports said the bridge would be finished in two years. By 1889, "work on the anchor pits was progressing rapidly."
The story again resurfaces in 1896, when the Hudson Highland Bridge and Railway Company reportedly filed for incorporation with capital of $84,900. The company was described as a reorganization of the former Hudson Suspension Bridge and New England Railway Company, which at some point included steel magnate Andrew Carnegie
on its board.
Much of this period coincided with the so-called Long Depression
, including stock market crashes called the Panic of 1873
and Panic of 1893
. A charter for construction of the bridge expired in 1916.
and George W. Perkins. A $4.5 million bond issue was completed in April of that year through the Harriman banking and brokerage firm. Under the 1922 charter, ownership of the bridge was to revert by 1962 from the bridge company to New York State, which also had the right to acquire the bridge at any time.
deck. It was the first automobile bridge to cross the Hudson south of Albany
and surpassed the 1888 Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge
as the southernmost crossing of the river.
Construction methods pioneered on the Bear Mountain Bridge influenced much larger projects to follow, including the George Washington
(1931) and Golden Gate
(1937) bridges. Completion also inspired the state to extend the Bronx River Parkway
from Kensico Dam northward, work which evolved into the Bear Mountain Parkway and the first phase of the Taconic State Parkway
.
on September 26, 1940 and the toll was reduced to a flat rate of 50 cents per automobile. In 1982 the bridge and its then-abandoned original toll house several miles away on the Peekskill approach road, Routes 6 and 202, were added to the National Register of Historic Places
. The bridge was also designated as a local historic civil engineering landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers
in 1986.
Since February 5, 2000, the automobile toll has remained at $1, and is collected from eastbound travelers only.
paste material was used to seal the strands of bridge cables to prevent moisture intrusion. The lead-based material, an environmental hazard, was also prone to drying out and cracking in a few years.
During routine inspections, bridge cables are unwrapped and wedges are used to separate the individual strands. Inspectors look for signs of moisture and corrosion throughout the cable. In the 1990s engineers experimented with several materials on a small section of the cables of the Bear Mountain Bridge. After a year the test areas were reexamined and one polymer
-based, non-toxic paste material was found to be superior. The bridge cables were then rewrapped in 2000 using the material. The cables were found to be free of additional moisture or corrosion in a 2007 inspection. New York State Bridge Authority chief engineer William Moreau is hopeful that the new material will lengthen the life of the cables, and lower the need for inspection and maintenance.
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
in New York State, carrying U.S. Highways 202
U.S. Route 202 in New York
U.S. Route 202 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from New Castle, Delaware, to Bangor, Maine. In the U.S. state of New York, US 202 extends from the New Jersey state line near Suffern to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster. While most of US 202 is signed...
and 6
U.S. Route 6 in New York
U.S. Route 6 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Bishop, California, to Provincetown, Massachusetts. In New York, US 6 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster...
across the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
between Rockland
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
and Westchester
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
counties. From the time of its completion in 1924, it held the record for the longest suspension bridge in the world for 19 months, until it was surpassed by the Benjamin Franklin Bridge
Benjamin Franklin Bridge
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge , originally named the Delaware River Bridge, is a suspension bridge across the Delaware River connecting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Camden, New Jersey...
in Philadelphia.
The span enables connections to the Palisades Interstate Parkway
Palisades Interstate Parkway
The Palisades Interstate Parkway is a long limited-access highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. The parkway is a major commuter route into New York City from Rockland and Orange counties in New York and Bergen County in New Jersey...
and U.S. Highway 9W on the west bank near Bear Mountain Inn
Bear Mountain Inn
The Bear Mountain Inn is a 1915 hotel and restaurant owned by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission and located on Route 9W at the northern end of Seven Lakes Drive, just south of the Bear Mountain Bridge in Rockland County, New York. It is presently named Bear Mountain Inn & Conference Center...
to New York State Route 9D
New York State Route 9D
New York State Route 9D , also known as the Bear Mountain – Beacon Highway, is a north–south state highway that runs along the eastern shore of the Hudson River in New York in the United States. It starts at the eastern end of the Bear Mountain Bridge at U.S...
on the east. It also carries the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
and New York State Bicycle Route 9 across the Hudson.
The span includes pedestrian walkways on both sides of the bridge. Cyclists are welcome on the roadway or may walk their cycles on the pedestrian walkway.
Hudson Highland Suspension Bridge
Plans for a bridge at the site had been made as early as 1868. The following year, The New York Times reported that a contract had been signed and construction would "speedily commence" on the "Hudson Highland Suspension Bridge" between Fort ClintonFort Clinton
Fort Clinton was an American Revolutionary War fortification in present-day Highlands, Orange County, New York. It was a companion to Fort Montgomery. Its garrison of 300 was smaller than that of Fort Montgomery, but Fort Clinton was built on a ridge at the mouth of the Popolopen Gorge, overlooking...
and Anthony's Nose. The intent was to carry a railroad toward Derby, Connecticut
Derby, Connecticut
Derby is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,391 at the 2000 census. With of land area, Derby is Connecticut's smallest municipality.The city has a Metro-North railroad station called Derby – Shelton.-History:...
, to supply coal and iron for industry in the lower Naugatuck Valley. The surface of the bridge was to be 150 feet (45.7 m) above high tide. In 1871 the newspaper reported that capital of $2.5 million had been raised and construction was expected to begin in 1875.
In 1887, reports said the bridge would be finished in two years. By 1889, "work on the anchor pits was progressing rapidly."
The story again resurfaces in 1896, when the Hudson Highland Bridge and Railway Company reportedly filed for incorporation with capital of $84,900. The company was described as a reorganization of the former Hudson Suspension Bridge and New England Railway Company, which at some point included steel magnate Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
on its board.
Much of this period coincided with the so-called Long Depression
Long Depression
The Long Depression was a worldwide economic crisis, felt most heavily in Europe and the United States, which had been experiencing strong economic growth fueled by the Second Industrial Revolution in the decade following the American Civil War. At the time, the episode was labeled the Great...
, including stock market crashes called the Panic of 1873
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
and Panic of 1893
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
. A charter for construction of the bridge expired in 1916.
Bear Mountain Hudson River Bridge Company
In March 1922, the state Legislature authorized creation of the private Bear Mountain Hudson River Bridge Company to complete the project, including a 3 miles (4.8 km) approach road from the Albany Post Road north of Peekskill. The 11-member board of directors included financiers E. Roland HarrimanE. Roland Harriman
E. Roland Harriman was a financier and philanthropist...
and George W. Perkins. A $4.5 million bond issue was completed in April of that year through the Harriman banking and brokerage firm. Under the 1922 charter, ownership of the bridge was to revert by 1962 from the bridge company to New York State, which also had the right to acquire the bridge at any time.
Completion
When the bridge formally opened on November 27, 1924, it was the longest suspension bridge span in the world, and the first of its type to have a concreteConcrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
deck. It was the first automobile bridge to cross the Hudson south of Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
and surpassed the 1888 Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge
Poughkeepsie Bridge
The Poughkeepsie Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge spanning the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie, New York on the east bank and Highland, New York on the west bank...
as the southernmost crossing of the river.
Construction methods pioneered on the Bear Mountain Bridge influenced much larger projects to follow, including the George Washington
George Washington Bridge
The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City to Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1/9 cross the river via the bridge. U.S...
(1931) and Golden Gate
Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. As part of both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1, the structure links the city of San Francisco, on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, to...
(1937) bridges. Completion also inspired the state to extend the Bronx River Parkway
Bronx River Parkway
The Bronx River Parkway is a long parkway in downstate New York. It is named for the nearby Bronx River, which it parallels. The southern terminus of the parkway is at Story Avenue near Bruckner Expressway in the Bronx neighborhood of Soundview...
from Kensico Dam northward, work which evolved into the Bear Mountain Parkway and the first phase of the Taconic State Parkway
Taconic State Parkway
The Taconic State Parkway , is a divided highway between Kensico Dam and Chatham, the longest parkway in the U.S. state of New York. It follows a generally northward route midway between the Hudson River and the Connecticut and Massachusetts state lines...
.
New York State Bridge Authority
Ownership was transferred to the New York State Bridge AuthorityNew York State Bridge Authority
The New York State Bridge Authority is a public benefit corporation in New York State, United States. The NYSBA was born out of the necessity for a bridge over the Hudson River to link the city of Hudson and the village of Catskill.-History:...
on September 26, 1940 and the toll was reduced to a flat rate of 50 cents per automobile. In 1982 the bridge and its then-abandoned original toll house several miles away on the Peekskill approach road, Routes 6 and 202, were added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The bridge was also designated as a local historic civil engineering landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers
American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
in 1986.
Since February 5, 2000, the automobile toll has remained at $1, and is collected from eastbound travelers only.
Maintenance innovation
The Bear Mountain Bridge was used to develop and test a new material designed to lower the cost and environmental impact of bridge cable maintenance. For over 100 years, a red leadRed lead
Lead tetroxide, also called minium, red lead or triplumbic tetroxide, is a bright red or orange crystalline or amorphous pigment. Chemically, red lead is lead tetroxide, Pb3O4, or 2PbO·PbO2....
paste material was used to seal the strands of bridge cables to prevent moisture intrusion. The lead-based material, an environmental hazard, was also prone to drying out and cracking in a few years.
During routine inspections, bridge cables are unwrapped and wedges are used to separate the individual strands. Inspectors look for signs of moisture and corrosion throughout the cable. In the 1990s engineers experimented with several materials on a small section of the cables of the Bear Mountain Bridge. After a year the test areas were reexamined and one polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
-based, non-toxic paste material was found to be superior. The bridge cables were then rewrapped in 2000 using the material. The cables were found to be free of additional moisture or corrosion in a 2007 inspection. New York State Bridge Authority chief engineer William Moreau is hopeful that the new material will lengthen the life of the cables, and lower the need for inspection and maintenance.
See also
- List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in New York
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Rockland County, New York
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Westchester County, New York
- List of fixed crossings of the Hudson River