The Wards Island Bridge is a pedestrian bridge connecting the East River Housing Project at East 103rd Street in Manhattan to Wards Island. Along the river, the bridge is located between exits 14 and 15 of the FDR Drive. This vertical-lift bridge has a total of twelve spans. Spans one through four are located on the Manhattan side of the bridge and are oriented from south to north. At span five the bridge turns from west to east. The curb-to-curb width of the lift span is 3.66m. The clear width of the Manhattan approach ramp is 3.66m and the clear width of the Wards Island approach ramp measures about 3.76m.
The first known bridge to Wards Island (formerly Great Barn Island) was built in 1807 with the money of two private citizens, Philip Milledolar and Bartholomew Ward, to aid their cotton business on the small island. This wooden drawbridge, connecting East 114th Street in Manhattan to the northwest corner of the island, lasted until 1821, when a storm destroyed all but the stone piers. The current pedestrian bridge was built in 1951. It was designed to accommodate visitors to Wards Island's park, stadium, psychiatric hospitals, and athletic facilities.
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Wards Island Bridge at NYC.gov
Pictures of Wards Island Bridge
The Wards Island Bridge is a pedestrian bridge over the Harlem River connecting the East River Housing Project at East 103rd Street in Manhattan to Wards Island. The view from Wards Island.
The Wards Island Bridge is a pedestrian bridge over the Harlem River connecting the East River Housing Project at East 103rd Street in Manhattan to Wards Island. The view from Manhattan.