Bear Mountain Bridge

Bear Mountain Bridge
Bear Mountain Bridge in 2022
Coordinates41°19′12″N 73°58′49″W / 41.32°N 73.9803°W / 41.32; -73.9803
Carries2 lanes of US 6 / US 202 / Appalachian Trail / State Bike Route 9
CrossesHudson River
LocaleCortlandt, New York and Bear Mountain, New York
Other name(s)Purple Heart Veterans Memorial Bridge (ceremonial)
Maintained byNew York State Bridge Authority
Characteristics
DesignSuspension bridge
Total length2,255 feet (687 m)
Width48 feet (15 m)
Height360 feet (110 m)
Longest span1,632 feet (497 m)[1]
Clearance below155 feet (47 m)
History
OpenedNovember 27, 1924; 99 years ago (1924-11-27)
Statistics
Daily traffic17,695 (2007)[2]
Toll(Eastbound only) cars:
$1.65 E-ZPass
$2.15 tolls-by-mail
Bear Mountain Bridge
Bear Mountain Bridge is located in New York
Bear Mountain Bridge
Bear Mountain Bridge is located in the United States
Bear Mountain Bridge
LocationCortlandt / Bear Mountain
Coordinates41°19′12″N 73°58′49″W / 41.32000°N 73.98028°W / 41.32000; -73.98028
Built1923; 101 years ago (1923)
Built byTerry & Tench Construction Co.
EngineerBaird, Howard C.
MPSHudson Highlands MRA
NRHP reference No.82001266
Significant dates
Added to NRHPNovember 23, 1982[3]
Designated NYSRHPSeptember 30, 1982
Preview warning: Page using Template:Infobox NRHP with unknown parameter "designated_other1_numer"
Location
Map

The Bear Mountain Bridge, ceremonially named the Purple Heart Veterans Memorial Bridge,[4] is a toll suspension bridge in New York State. It carries US 6 and US 202 across the Hudson River between Bear Mountain State Park in Orange County[5] and Cortlandt in Westchester County. At completion in 1924 it was the longest suspension bridge in the world[6] until this record was surpassed 19 months later by the Benjamin Franklin Bridge between Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey.[7] Like the Williamsburg Bridge in New York City, the approach spans of the Bear Mountain Bridge are unsuspended; only its main span (between the towers) is suspended by cables.

The span enables connections between the Palisades Interstate Parkway and US 9W on the west bank near Bear Mountain and NY 9D on the east bank as well as US 9 and the Bear Mountain Parkway farther east. It also carries the Appalachian Trail and New York State Bicycle Route 9 across the Hudson.

The bridge has two undivided vehicle lanes flanked by sidewalks. Cyclists may ride with motor vehicle traffic or walk their bikes on the sidewalks.

  1. ^ Guide to Civil Engineering Projects In and Around New York City (2nd ed.). Metropolitan Section, American Society of Civil Engineers. 2009. p. 31.
  2. ^ "2008 Traffic Data Report for New York State" (PDF). New York State Department of Transportation. Appendix C. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2012. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
  3. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  4. ^ Cutler, Nancy (October 4, 2018). "Unlike Tappan Zee, the Bear Mountain Bridge keeps historic name while honoring heroes". lohud.com.
  5. ^ "Bear Mountain Bridge (US 6 and US 202)". www.nycroads.com. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  6. ^ "New York State Bridge Authority Bear Mountain Bridge Page". www.nysba.state.ny.us. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  7. ^ "Ben Franklin Bridge". drpa.org. Retrieved October 31, 2020.