The Borden Avenue Bridge is a retractable bridge in New York City,[3] in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens. It carries vehicular and pedestrian traffic across Dutch Kills, a tidal waterway that is a tributary of Newtown Creek.[4] The main span is 84 feet (26 metres) long, and it retracts by sliding on rails. It was last retracted to allow marine traffic to pass in 2005.[4] It was designed by Edward Abraham Byrne and opened on March 25, 1908.[3]

Borden Avenue Bridge
Coordinates40°44′21″N 73°56′34″W / 40.7391°N 73.9427°W / 40.7391; -73.9427
Carries2 lanes for vehicle traffic and 2 walkways
CrossesDutch Kills, a tributary of Newtown Creek
LocaleNew York City (Queens)
Maintained byNew York City Department of Transportation
Characteristics
DesignRetractable bridge
Total length168 ft 6 in (51.4 m)[1]
Width33.8 ft (10.3 m)[1]
Longest span84 ft (26 m)[1]
Clearance below1.5 m (4.9 ft) high tide, 2.7 m (8.9 ft) low tide
History
Engineering design byEdward Abraham Byrne
OpenedMarch 25, 1908; 116 years ago (1908-03-25)
Statistics
Daily traffic14,863 (2016)[2]
TollFree
Location
Map

The Borden Avenue bridge is one of four remaining retractable bridges in the United States, and one of two remaining in New York City, the other being the Carroll Street Bridge.[3]

Borden Avenue Bridge in 2014, showing keeper's house and iron gates.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Borden Avenue Bridge". Bridgehunter.com. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  2. ^ "New York City Bridge Traffic Volumes" (PDF). New York City Department of Transportation. 2016. p. 10. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "NYC DOT - Bridges - Newtown Creek". www.nyc.gov.
  4. ^ a b "BORDEN AVENUE BRIDGE - Forgotten New York". forgotten-ny.com.