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Coordinates: 40°46′55″N 73°53′18″W / 40.78194°N 73.88833°W / 40.78194; -73.88833
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{{Short description|Bridge between Queens and Rikers Island, New York}}
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{{Infobox Bridge
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2017}}
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|bridge_name= Rikers Island Bridge
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{{Infobox bridge
|image=
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| bridge_name = Rikers Island Bridge
|caption=
| image = File:RikerVlcsnap-2024-10-06-23h05m08s196.png
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|official_name=
| caption = Rikers Island Bridge, seen from [[LaGuardia Airport]], 2024
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|also_known_as=
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| official_name =
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|carries= 3 lanes of [[roadway]] and 1 sidewalk
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| also_known_as =
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|crosses= [[East River]] (Rikers Island Channel) and [[Bowery Bay]]
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| carries = 3 lanes of [[roadway]]; 1 sidewalk
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|locale= [[Rikers Island]] and [[Queens]] in [[New York City]]
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| crosses = [[East River]] (Rikers Island Channel) and [[Bowery Bay]]
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|maint=
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| locale = [[Rikers Island]] and [[Queens]] in [[New York City]]
|id=
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| maint =
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|design= [[Concrete]] [[Girder Bridge]]
|mainspan=
| id =
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| design = [[Girder bridge]]
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|length= {{convert|4200|ft|m}}
| material = [[Concrete]], [[steel]]
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|width=
|clearance=
| mainspan =
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| length = {{convert|4200|ft|m|0}}
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|below= 52 ft
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| width =
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|traffic= 15,621 (2008)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/bridgetrafrpt08.pdf |title=New York City Bridge Traffic Volumes 2008 |date=March 2010 |publisher=New York City Department of Transportation |page=153 |format=PDF |accessdate=2010-06-27}}</ref>
| clearance =
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|open= November 22, 1966
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| below = 52 ft
|closed=
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| traffic = 14,817 (2016)<ref name="nycdot16">{{cite web|url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/nyc-bridge-traffic-report-2016.pdf|title=New York City Bridge Traffic Volumes|date=2016|publisher=New York City Department of Transportation|page=10|accessdate=March 16, 2018}}</ref>
|toll=
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| open = November 22, 1966
|map_cue=
|map_image=
| closed =
|map_text=
| toll =
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| coordinates = {{coord|40|46|55|N|73|53|18|W|type:landmark_region:US|display=inline,title}}
|map_width=
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|coordinates={{coord|40|46|55|N|73|53|18|W|type:landmark_region:US|display=inline,title}}
|extra={{Location map | USA New York City
|label =
|label_size =
|alt =
|position = right
|background =
|lon_dir=W
|lat_dir=N
|lat_deg = 40
|lat_min = 46
|lat_sec = 55
|lon_deg = 73
|lon_min = 53
|lon_sec = 18
|lat =
|long =
|mark =
|marksize =
|border = none
|float =
|width = 250
|caption = <!-- blank -->
}}
}}
}}
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'''Rikers Island Bridge''' (officially named '''Francis R. Buono Memorial Bridge''') is a [[Girder Bridge|girder bridge]] that connects [[Rikers Island]] in the [[borough (New York City)|borough]] of [[the Bronx]] with the borough of [[Queens]] in [[New York City]]. The bridge begins in the [[Steinway, Queens|Steinway]] neighborhood of Queens near the intersection of Hazen Street and 19th Avenue and continues to the south side of Rikers Island.


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'''Rikers Island Bridge''' (officially named '''Francis R. Buono Memorial Bridge''') is a [[Girder Bridge|girder bridge]] that connects [[Rikers Island]] in the [[borough (New York City)|borough]] of [[the Bronx]] with the borough of [[Queens]] in [[New York City]]. The bridge begins in the [[Astoria, Queens|Ditmars Steinway]] area in [[Astoria, Queens]], near the intersection of Hazen Street and 19th Avenue, and continues to the south side of Rikers Island.
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The Rikers Island Bridge is the sole route to the island for vehicular traffic. Before the bridge opened in 1966, access to Rikers Island was by ferry only. The bridge is a fixed low-level span built with concrete and steel. At its center, the bridge has a 52-foot rise allowing clearance for vessels passing beneath the structure.<ref>{{cite journal |date=Spring 1967 |title=Rikers Island Bridge Opened | journal = Correction Sidelights |publisher=New York City Department of Correction |url=http://www.correctionhistory.org/html/chronicl/nycdoc/html/rispan2.html |accessdate =2009-08-15}}</ref>

== Description ==
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The Rikers Island Bridge is the sole route to the island for vehicular traffic. The bridge is a fixed low-level span built with concrete and steel. At its center, the bridge has a 52-foot rise allowing clearance for vessels passing beneath the structure.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal |date=Spring 1967 |title=Rikers Island Bridge Opened | journal = Correction Sidelights |publisher=New York City Department of Correction |url=http://www.correctionhistory.org/html/chronicl/nycdoc/html/rispan2.html |accessdate =August 15, 2009}}</ref> The {{NYC bus link|Q100}} [[MTA Bus]] route operates across the Rikers Island Bridge and provides service to the Rikers Island Visitor Center.<ref>{{Cite NYC bus map|Q}}</ref>


The bridge crosses the Rikers Island Channel of the [[East River]] and [[Bowery Bay]]. It is located near [[LaGuardia Airport]] and crosses over the approach light pier to Runway 13.<ref>{{cite map |publisher=NOAA |title=Chart 12339 |url=http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/12339.shtml |date=June 1, 2008 |scale=1 : 10,000 |accessdate=2009-08-15}}</ref>
The bridge crosses the Rikers Island Channel of the [[East River]] and [[Bowery Bay]]. It is located near [[LaGuardia Airport]] and crosses over the approach light pier to Runway 13.<ref>{{cite map |publisher=NOAA |title=Chart 12339 |url=http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/12339.shtml |date=June 1, 2008 |scale=1 : 10,000 |accessdate=August 15, 2009}}</ref>


[[File:Rikers Island Bridge (wide angle, cropped) seen from LGA.jpg|thumb|center|upright=3|Wide-angle shot of the bridge as seen from LaGuardia Airport]]
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On May 25, 1978, the bridge was named for the late Supervising Warden Francis R. Buono, who directed its construction.<ref>{{cite journal |date=June 1978 |title=Francis R. Buono Memorial Bridge Dedicated |journal=The Pen |publisher=New York City Department of Correction |url=http://www.correctionhistory.org/html/chronicl/nycdoc/html/buono.html |accessdate=2009-08-15}}</ref> In August 1990, during a labor conflict with then New York City mayor [[David Dinkins]], guards responded to a breakdown in negotiations by barricading access to the bridge.<ref>{{cite news |last=Levine |first=Richard |title=Critics Say Dinkins Miscalculated Guards' Anger |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 16, 1990 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/16/nyregion/critics-say-dinkins-miscalculated-guards-anger.html |accessdate=2009-08-15}}</ref>


== History ==
The {{NYC bus link|Q100}} [[MTA Bus]] route operates across the Rikers Island Bridge and provides service to the Rikers Island Visitor Center.
Before the bridge opened, the only access to Rikers Island was by a ferry,<ref name=":0"/> which cost New York City $250,000 per year to operate.<ref>Ingraham, Joseph C. (November 30, 1965). "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/116742692/8F9CA83D11204BD4PQ/4 2 Projects Taking Form Near Rikers Island: Bridge Rising Near Runway Extensions]". ''The New York Times''. p. 43.</ref> The bridge was proposed in order to provide easier access by fire, police, ambulances, and sanitation vehicles, and to reduce the commute times for employees.<ref name= spur>{{cite news |author=Mazza, Frank |date=May 8, 1966 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/149060040/daily-news-rikers-island-bridge-to-spur/ |title=Rikers Island Bridge To Spur Better Jails |work=Daily News |location=New York, New York |page=M14 |access-date=June 10, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The New York City Planning Board approved the building of the bridge in 1962.<ref name= spur/> Rikers Island Bridge opened on November 22, 1966.<ref name= hope>Devlin, John C. (November 23, 1966). "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/117273865/8F9CA83D11204BD4PQ/6 Bridge of Hope' to Rikers Island Is Dedicated Here: Mayor Opens $9-Million Bridge To an Expanding Rikers Island]". ''The New York Times''. p. 41.</ref> New York City spent $10{{nbsp}}million to build the bridge.<ref name= spur/> The city said it saved $410{{nbsp}}million in construction costs for structures on the island during the five years after the bridge opened, and that the bridge would also save $5,000 in operating expenses per year.<ref name= hope/> The bridge is supported by 260 concrete piles, each up to {{convert|124|ft}} long.<ref>"[https://www.proquest.com/docview/116701499/8F9CA83D11204BD4PQ/3 200-Foot Pile-Driving Rig Used To Set Base for Rikers Bridge]". ''The New York Times''. March 28, 1965. p. S14.</ref>


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On May 25, 1978, the bridge was co-named for the late Supervising Warden Francis R. Buono, who directed its construction.<ref>{{cite journal |date=June 1978 |title=Francis R. Buono Memorial Bridge Dedicated |journal=The Pen |publisher=New York City Department of Correction |url=http://www.correctionhistory.org/html/chronicl/nycdoc/html/buono.html |accessdate=August 15, 2009}}</ref> In August 1990, during a labor conflict with then New York City mayor [[David Dinkins]], guards responded to a breakdown in negotiations by barricading access to the bridge.<ref>{{cite news |last=Levine |first=Richard |title=Critics Say Dinkins Miscalculated Guards' Anger |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 16, 1990 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/16/nyregion/critics-say-dinkins-miscalculated-guards-anger.html |accessdate=August 15, 2009}}</ref>
This bridge has been referenced in the song "Bridge of Pain" by [[Flavor Flav]].


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
*{{Structurae|id=s0032028|title=Francis R. Buono Memorial Bridge}}
*{{Structurae|id=20032028|title=Francis R. Buono Memorial Bridge}}


{{Crossings navbox
{{Crossings navbox
|structure = Crossings
|structure = Crossings
|place = [[East River]]
|place = [[East River]]
|bridge = Rikers Island Bridge
|bridge = Rikers Island Bridge
|bridge signs =
|bridge signs =
|upstream = [[Bronx–Whitestone Bridge]]
|upstream = [[Bronx–Whitestone Bridge]]
|upstream signs = [[Image:I-678.svg|25px]]
|upstream signs = [[File:Toll plate yellow.svg|25px]]<br />[[Image:I-678.svg|25px]]
|downstream = [[Hell Gate Bridge]]
|downstream = [[Hell Gate Bridge]]
|downstream signs = ''Amtrak''
|downstream signs = ''Amtrak''
}}
}}


{{NYC Bridge}}
{{NYC Bridge}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Bridges completed in 1966]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1966]]
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[[Category:Bridges in the Bronx]]
[[Category:Bridges in the Bronx]]
[[Category:Pedestrian bridges in New York City]]
[[Category:Pedestrian bridges in New York City]]
[[Category:Bridges in New York City]]
[[Category:Concrete bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Concrete bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Girder bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Girder bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Rikers Island]]

Latest revision as of 15:24, 24 December 2024

Rikers Island Bridge
Rikers Island Bridge, seen from LaGuardia Airport, 2024
Coordinates40°46′55″N 73°53′18″W / 40.78194°N 73.88833°W / 40.78194; -73.88833
Carries3 lanes of roadway; 1 sidewalk
CrossesEast River (Rikers Island Channel) and Bowery Bay
LocaleRikers Island and Queens in New York City
Characteristics
DesignGirder bridge
MaterialConcrete, steel
Total length4,200 feet (1,280 m)
Clearance below52 ft
History
OpenedNovember 22, 1966
Statistics
Daily traffic14,817 (2016)[1]
Location
Map

Rikers Island Bridge (officially named Francis R. Buono Memorial Bridge) is a girder bridge that connects Rikers Island in the borough of the Bronx with the borough of Queens in New York City. The bridge begins in the Ditmars Steinway area in Astoria, Queens, near the intersection of Hazen Street and 19th Avenue, and continues to the south side of Rikers Island.

Description

[edit]

The Rikers Island Bridge is the sole route to the island for vehicular traffic. The bridge is a fixed low-level span built with concrete and steel. At its center, the bridge has a 52-foot rise allowing clearance for vessels passing beneath the structure.[2] The Q100 MTA Bus route operates across the Rikers Island Bridge and provides service to the Rikers Island Visitor Center.[3]

The bridge crosses the Rikers Island Channel of the East River and Bowery Bay. It is located near LaGuardia Airport and crosses over the approach light pier to Runway 13.[4]

Wide-angle shot of the bridge as seen from LaGuardia Airport

History

[edit]

Before the bridge opened, the only access to Rikers Island was by a ferry,[2] which cost New York City $250,000 per year to operate.[5] The bridge was proposed in order to provide easier access by fire, police, ambulances, and sanitation vehicles, and to reduce the commute times for employees.[6] The New York City Planning Board approved the building of the bridge in 1962.[6] Rikers Island Bridge opened on November 22, 1966.[7] New York City spent $10 million to build the bridge.[6] The city said it saved $410 million in construction costs for structures on the island during the five years after the bridge opened, and that the bridge would also save $5,000 in operating expenses per year.[7] The bridge is supported by 260 concrete piles, each up to 124 feet (38 m) long.[8]

On May 25, 1978, the bridge was co-named for the late Supervising Warden Francis R. Buono, who directed its construction.[9] In August 1990, during a labor conflict with then New York City mayor David Dinkins, guards responded to a breakdown in negotiations by barricading access to the bridge.[10]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "New York City Bridge Traffic Volumes" (PDF). New York City Department of Transportation. 2016. p. 10. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Rikers Island Bridge Opened". Correction Sidelights. New York City Department of Correction. Spring 1967. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
  3. ^ "Queens Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. August 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  4. ^ Chart 12339 (Map). 1 : 10,000. NOAA. June 1, 2008. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
  5. ^ Ingraham, Joseph C. (November 30, 1965). "2 Projects Taking Form Near Rikers Island: Bridge Rising Near Runway Extensions". The New York Times. p. 43.
  6. ^ a b c Mazza, Frank (May 8, 1966). "Rikers Island Bridge To Spur Better Jails". Daily News. New York, New York. p. M14. Retrieved June 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b Devlin, John C. (November 23, 1966). "Bridge of Hope' to Rikers Island Is Dedicated Here: Mayor Opens $9-Million Bridge To an Expanding Rikers Island". The New York Times. p. 41.
  8. ^ "200-Foot Pile-Driving Rig Used To Set Base for Rikers Bridge". The New York Times. March 28, 1965. p. S14.
  9. ^ "Francis R. Buono Memorial Bridge Dedicated". The Pen. New York City Department of Correction. June 1978. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
  10. ^ Levine, Richard (August 16, 1990). "Critics Say Dinkins Miscalculated Guards' Anger". The New York Times. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
[edit]
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