Conditions of Suspension Bridge Cables: New York City Case Study

Abstract

From the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883 to the opening of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in 1964 the New York City Metropolitan Area was the center of the most intensive construction of record-breaking suspension bridges worldwide. Of the 10 suspension bridges in the area, 5 established span-length records at their completion. As the twentieth century draws to a close the current records are held elsewhere and these bridges hold a record for the average age and total traffic they have jointly accumulated over the last 115 years. An understanding of suspension bridge behavior can be gained nowhere better than in the examination of the New York examples. In an unprecedented joint effort partly including the New York City Department of Transportation, the New York State Bridge Authority, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, all available information and present common recommendations and guidelines for inspection and rehabilitation of the cable systems were pooled. Some conclusions about the resulting comprehensive study on the condition of cable systems in suspension bridges located in the New York Metropolitan Area are presented.