Um, How Old Are Our Bridges?
The Interstate 35W bridge in downtown Minneapolis, which collapsed into the Mississippi River at about 6 p.m. last night, turned 40 years old this year, as all the coverage reminds us. How old are New York’s bridges? The Brooklyn Bridge is the oldest, of course; it opened on May 24, 1883, making it 124 years old. The 59th Street and Manhattan bridges come next, both opening in 1909. The 59th Street is 98 years old, and the Manhattan, which opened on the last day of the year, is still a sprightly 97. The George Washington opened in October 1931; it’s 75 years old for a few more months. (But the lower span, sometimes called Martha — ‘cause it’s under George! Ha! — merely turns 45 this month.)
