GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE

The George Washington Bridge, seen from New Jersey, looking toward Manhattan, New York City. vehicular suspension bridge crossing the Hudson River, U.S., between The Palisades park near Fort Lee, N.J., and Manhattan island, New York City (between 178th and 179th streets). The original structure was built (192731) by the Swiss-born engineer Othmar H. Ammann according to the modified designs of architect Cass Gilbert. It was constructed to carry eight lanes of traffic. A lower deck with six more traffic lanes was added in 195862, along with a modernistic bus terminal on the Manhattan side (designed by Pier Luigi Nervi). When first built, the main span of 3,500 feet (1,067 m) doubled the record for suspension bridges. Overall, the bridge now extends 4,760 feet (1,450 m) between anchorages, with the decks 115 feet (35 m) and 212 feet (65 m) above mean high water and the lattice-steel towers rising 604 feet (184 m) high above the water. On the New York side the tower stands on land; on the New Jersey side the tower rises out of the river 76 feet (23 m) from shore. The bridge was built and is operated by the Port of New York Authority.