THE VERRAZANO BRIDGE

The Verrazano Narrows Bridge opened in 1964 and at the time was the world's longest suspension span. It connects the Fort Hamilton section of Brooklyn to the Fort Wadsworth section of Staten Island.  The towers are 693 feet. The bridge is over 2 miles long.   The towers weigh over 27,000 tons and the bridge is held together with over three million rivets and one million bolts.  As my husband used to tell my son when he was little that that different seasons cause the roadway to be lower in the summer than in the winter.  Until the bridge opened there the only other way to get to Staten Island from New York was from the ferry.  People actually had to go into Manhattan either by train or in their cars and get onto the ferry.  It was a whole day trip.  People actually planned trips to Staten Island.  People used to have summer homes on Staten Island. Staten Island was actually like a suburb.  Now its one of the most crowded boroughs of New York City.

I have never really thought much about the Verrazano Bridge.  My intrigue has just been by its massive structure.  It amazes me that these structures are able to stand and withstand the massive weight of themselves and the traffic.  Plus the wind and erosion of the waters below.

Other things captivate me.  I mean there has been talk of men falling into the concrete as they were pouring the towers.  I think I need to do some research on this “Urban Legend".  My husband says that anything is possible. Becaus when pouring concrete there must be a continuous flow.  I just find these things mind-blowing.

I know that others look at this bridge and see different things. Some see a sense of freedom.  Some see a sense of loss. Some a sense of anticipation.  Some see the future.  It’s an individual thing I imagine.  It can be a beginning.  It can be an end.  I just see a bridge.  A magnificent one, but a bridge none-the-less.