Robert F. Kennedy Bridge connects three boroughs of New York City—Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens. It was originally called the Triborough Bridge. This great structure is the centerpiece of New York City’s bridge and tunnel system. It is actually a series of bridges forming three steel and concrete arms that form a rough Y in shape. The total length of the three arms is 171/2 miles (28.2 kilometers), of which about 31/2 miles (5.6 kilometers) consist of bridges and viaducts. The four overwater spans cross the East and Harlem rivers, the Bronx Kills, and Little Hell Gate.
Parts of the structure rest on Wards Island and Randalls Island, in the East River. The suspension span between Wards Island and Queens is the most important arm. It is 1,380 feet (421 meters) long. There is a vertical-lift bridge between Manhattan and Randalls Island.
The system includes crossings, highways, park and parkway constructions, streets, and 12 land bridges. The Triborough Bridge Authority, under the leadership of the American urban planner Robert Moses, constructed the bridge. The Triborough was the first project to give direct connection between the Bronx and Queens. It first opened to traffic on July 11, 1936. It was renamed the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in 2008.
