The tallest bridge in the United States is the Royal Gorge Bridge over the Arkansas River in Colorado; it is 955 feet tall. The tallest bridge in New Jersey is the George Washington Bridge, which crosses over the Hudson River into New York. It is accessed on the Garden State side from the town of Fort Lee.
Construction on the George Washington Bridge began in 1927. At that time, it was known as the Fort Lee Bridge or Hudson River Bridge.
The bridge was opened to traffic in 1931. It originally had one deck (level) with 6 lanes.
The bridge expanded to include 8 lanes in the 1940s...
...and an additional deck with 6 lanes (the lower level) was completed in 1962.
The bridge measures 4,760 feet long and has a main span of 3,500 feet. When it was built, it had the longest main bridge span in the world.
Two major highways, Route 46 and the New Jersey Turnpike, terminate halfway through the bridge.
The bridge's upper level is open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
When it comes to cars, over 100 million vehicles cross the George Washington Bridge each year. It's the busiest motor vehicle bridge in the world!
If you're interested in a short clip of the bridge being built, check out the video below.
While learning about one of the area's most iconic bridges is fun, I'm even more fascinated by our most historic bridges! Did you know that the Stony Brook Bridge in Princeton was built over 222 years ago? Over 13,000 cars per day cross the bridge, which has been renovated several times. Princeton is also home to a second bridge that dates back to the 1700s. It crosses the Millstone River but only sees about 7 cars per day.
Do you have a favorite bridge in New Jersey? We've got some interesting ones! Share your thoughts and photos in the comments.
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