New York City Department of Bridges

The New York City Department of Bridges was a municipal government agency that administered the planning, construction, management, and maintenance of bridges in New York City. The department was created in 1898 with the consolidation of Greater New York, and it operated as one of six co-equal branches of the New York City Board of Public Improvements.[1][2] It was later merged with the Department of Public Works in 1916 to form the Department of Plant & Structures.[3] Its present-day successor is the New York City Department of Transportation.

New York City Department of Bridges
Agency overview
FormedJanuary 1, 1898 (1898-01-01)
Dissolved1916
Superseding agency
  • New York City Department of Plant & Structures
TypeDepartment
JurisdictionGovernment of New York City
StatusDefunct
HeadquartersNew York City
Agency executive
  • Commissioner of Bridges
  • Consulting Engineer
Parent agencyNew York City Board of Public Improvements
Key document

Prior to the Department's formation, the work of building and managing transportation infrastructure in the Greater New York area was generally overseen by county-level Boards of Supervisors[4] and their associated Highway Commissioners.[5] When the city was consolidated under a singular charter in 1898, responsibility for all bridge crossings (including minor roadway spans in the outer boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens) was also consolidated–much to the disagreement of existing highway commissioners.[6]

Organization

Most of the department's workforce included designers and tradesmen in a variety of support roles, including engineers, riggers, and even firemen. One record from 1900 counts the organization's maintenance division alone at about 480 workers, with moveable bridge-tenders comprising the largest individual trade.[7] The department's leadership consisted of a Commissioner of Bridges and a Consulting Engineer. Appointed by the Mayor of New York City, the Commissioner of Bridges was a mayoral cabinet-level position[1]: 46  tasked with administration of the entire department and its divisions. According to the original city charter, the commissioner was also charged with overseeing departmental finances, toll collection, bridge construction and maintenance, and operation of the Brooklyn Bridge trolleys.[1]: 287–288 

Former bridge commissioners of New York City
Name Term Appointed by
1 John L. Shea[8] 1898-1901 Robert A. Van Wyck
2 Gustav Lindenthal[9] 1902-1903 Seth Low
3 George E. Best[10] 1904-1905 George B. McClellan Jr.
4 James W. Stevenson[11] 1906-1909
5 Kingsley L. Martin[12] 1910-1911 William J. Gaynor
6 Arthur J. O'Keeffe[13] 1911-1913
7 F.J.H. Kracke[14] 1914-1915 John P. Mitchel

Notable projects

During its existence, the Department of Bridges initiated and managed the construction of many significant bridges in New York City:

References
  1. Ash, Mark (1897). The Greater New York Charter as Enacted in 1897 (PDF). New York City: Weed-Parsons Printing Company. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  2. "Leading Features of the New Charter". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. December 26, 1896. pp. 1–2. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  3. "NYC Municipal Archives Collections: Bridges/Plant & Structures". New York City Department of Records & Information Services. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  4. "Guide to the Board of Supervisors of Kings County collection ARC.049". dlib.nyu.edu. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  5. "Rural Improvements" (PDF). The New York Times. August 4, 1873. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  6. "Wants the Small Bridges– Deputy Farrell Regards Them as Parts of Highways". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. January 7, 1898. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  7. "Maintenance Personnel Resources in 1900" (PDF). NYCDOT Bridges & Tunnels Annual Condition Report: 232. 2003. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  8. "The City Appointments" (PDF). The New York Times. January 1, 1898. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  9. Griggs, Jr., Frank. "Great Achievements: Gustav Lindenthal" (PDF). STRUCTURE Magazine (August 2010): 56–57. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  10. "More City Appointees" (PDF). The New York Times. December 25, 1903. p. 3. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  11. "Tully to Get Bouck's Job; Brooklyn to Lose Nothing". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. December 29, 1905. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  12. "Gaynor's Appointments". The Yonkers Statesman. January 3, 1910. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  13. "O'Keeffe Takes Charge as Martin Steps Out". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. June 7, 1911. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  14. "The New Bridge Commissioner". The Standard Union. January 2, 1914. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
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