Below, is a small set of interesting photographs of when the Staten Island Expressway and Verrazano Narrows Bridge were mainly under construction in the early 1960s. Courtesy of Staten Island Advance and Brooklyn Historical Society.
Workers establish the footprint of the expressway here in this photograph. Circa 1962. The Verrazano Narrows Bridge is in the background. Near exit 13 in the Sunnyside section of Staten Island.
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Here, workers construct the main road deck of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. June, 1963. Viewed from Fort Hamilton Pkwy. in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
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The Verrazano Narrows Bridge and Staten Island Expressway are several months away from opening day. April, 1964. Viewed from the Grymes Hill section of Staten Island.
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Richard Ramaglia and George Scarpelli waited six days at the toll plaza to be the first two people to cross the bridge. November, 1964.
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Opening day. 1964.
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The day after the bridge opened to traffic. 1964.
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Excellent pictures! I love the last one..."I wanna get on the bridge! Nownownow!" :-D
I find the next-to-last picture interesting because it appears they didn't build the access to the lower level immediately. I knew the lower level did not open until several years after the bridge itself did, but I also know it was built at the same time as the rest of the bridge to avoid the nuisance of adding it later as was done with the George Washington Bridge. I would have just assumed they'd have built the access and blocked it off until it was needed, but it appears from that photo that they graded the land but didn't build the actual ramps until later. (I assume the Brooklyn side was a different matter because it's all elevated structure, such that it wouldn't make as much sense to leave the construction for later. My mother grew up in Bay Ridge a few blocks from the bridge; she was in her teens when it was built. I'd ask her about it when we see her for Easter this weekend, but I know she doesn't remember those sorts of details.)
Wonderful pictures! Quite a pictoral archive. :clap:
Quote from: 1995hoo on March 28, 2013, 12:11:59 PM
I find the next-to-last picture interesting because it appears they didn't build the access to the lower level immediately. I knew the lower level did not open until several years after the bridge itself did, but I also know it was built at the same time as the rest of the bridge to avoid the nuisance of adding it later as was done with the George Washington Bridge. I would have just assumed they'd have built the access and blocked it off until it was needed, but it appears from that photo that they graded the land but didn't build the actual ramps until later. (I assume the Brooklyn side was a different matter because it's all elevated structure, such that it wouldn't make as much sense to leave the construction for later. My mother grew up in Bay Ridge a few blocks from the bridge; she was in her teens when it was built. I'd ask her about it when we see her for Easter this weekend, but I know she doesn't remember those sorts of details.)
You are right. The lower level opened to traffic on June 28th, 1969, since traffic volume significantly increased on the bridge after it opened several years earlier. Prior to the opening, the access were ramps were not built, not to mention the actual road deck that would eventually connect to the main deck of the bridge.
Below, is a photograph of the Bay Ridge side. From 1966 (as the photographer claims). As you could see, the access ramps were just merely dirt roads at this time as well.
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I've actually seen all of the record plans of the construction of upper and lower levels - both sides' approaches, decks, everything. You can't get access to them - all TBTA plans are in a converted safe below the Triboro Bridge deep inside the MTA, and you need to be working on a project that requires their use. But that's where I learned that the lower level approaches were built much later. Interestingly, the Belt Parkway ramps to the Upper Level are 24 feet wide the whole way up, while the ramps to the Lower Level are narrower (I forget how much). Should now be obvious - because until 1969, both lanes coming up the connector ramp had to feed into the Upper Level (I presume a 2+2=3 merge).
Quote from: Steve on March 28, 2013, 06:14:28 PM
I've actually seen all of the record plans of the construction of upper and lower levels - both sides' approaches, decks, everything. You can't get access to them - all TBTA plans are in a converted safe below the Triboro Bridge deep inside the MTA, and you need to be working on a project that requires their use. But that's where I learned that the lower level approaches were built much later. Interestingly, the Belt Parkway ramps to the Upper Level are 24 feet wide the whole way up, while the ramps to the Lower Level are narrower (I forget how much). Should now be obvious - because until 1969, both lanes coming up the connector ramp had to feed into the Upper Level (I presume a 2+2=3 merge).
Your descreption of the method to get access to the plans reminded me of a quote from a book i read, The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy,
"But the plans were on display ..."
"On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them."
"That's the display department."
"With a flashlight."
"Ah, well, the lights had probably gone."
"So had the stairs."
"But look, you found the notice, didn't you?"
"Yes," said Arthur, "yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying "˜Beware of the Leopard."
Quote from: Steve on March 28, 2013, 06:14:28 PM
I've actually seen all of the record plans of the construction of upper and lower levels - both sides' approaches, decks, everything. You can't get access to them - all TBTA plans are in a converted safe below the Triboro Bridge deep inside the MTA, and you need to be working on a project that requires their use. But that's where I learned that the lower level approaches were built much later. Interestingly, the Belt Parkway ramps to the Upper Level are 24 feet wide the whole way up, while the ramps to the Lower Level are narrower (I forget how much). Should now be obvious - because until 1969, both lanes coming up the connector ramp had to feed into the Upper Level (I presume a 2+2=3 merge).
So, I presume you worked for the M.T.A. at one time or another, no?
Quote from: Steve on March 28, 2013, 06:14:28 PM
Interestingly, the Belt Parkway ramps to the Upper Level are 24 feet wide the whole way up, while the ramps to the Lower Level are narrower (I forget how much). Should now be obvious - because until 1969, both lanes coming up the connector ramp had to feed into the Upper Level (I presume a 2+2=3 merge).
Actually, until the 1990's, you could only get to the Belt Parkway from the eastbound Upper Level. The exit was 2-lane, with the center lane on the bridge being an option lane. Westbound, both lanes of the Belt Parkway ramp went to the Upper Level, with a little "left exit" going to the lower level. It was not marked by any signs.
In the late 1990's, they reduced the Upper Level ramp to one lane and opened the lower level access as a "added lane" going east, restriped the WB ramp so left = lower, right = upper, and added signs.
Somewhere I have video from 1994 of the old configuration.
Quote from: Steve on March 28, 2013, 06:14:28 PM
all TBTA plans are locked in the basement of the Alamo
FTFY
Quote from: SteveG1988 on March 28, 2013, 08:25:10 PM
Quote from: Steve on March 28, 2013, 06:14:28 PM
I've actually seen all of the record plans of the construction of upper and lower levels - both sides' approaches, decks, everything. You can't get access to them - all TBTA plans are in a converted safe below the Triboro Bridge deep inside the MTA, and you need to be working on a project that requires their use. But that's where I learned that the lower level approaches were built much later. Interestingly, the Belt Parkway ramps to the Upper Level are 24 feet wide the whole way up, while the ramps to the Lower Level are narrower (I forget how much). Should now be obvious - because until 1969, both lanes coming up the connector ramp had to feed into the Upper Level (I presume a 2+2=3 merge).
Your descreption of the method to get access to the plans reminded me of a quote from a book i read, The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy,
"But the plans were on display
"On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.
"That's the display department.
"With a flashlight.
"Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.
"So had the stairs.
"But look, you found the notice, didn't you?
"Yes, said Arthur, "yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying Beware of the Leopard.
Ever thought of going into advertising?
Seriously, Don't Panic!
Seeing those pictures reminds me of Saturday Night Fever, where John Travolta's character is talking about the construction of the bridge itself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFsoMPq25pU
Quote from: M3019C LPS20 on March 28, 2013, 08:56:06 PM
Quote from: Steve on March 28, 2013, 06:14:28 PM
you need to be working on a project that requires their use.
So, I presume you worked for the M.T.A. at one time or another, no?
you are presuming much
Quote from: Steve on March 28, 2013, 06:14:28 PM
I've actually seen all of the record plans of the construction of upper and lower levels - both sides' approaches, decks, everything. You can't get access to them - all TBTA plans are in a converted safe below the Triboro Bridge deep inside the MTA, and you need to be working on a project that requires their use.
I suppose they have them flagged as SBU, then? Otherwise it'd just take an FOIA request...