The Manhattan Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the
East River in New York City, connecting Lower Manhattan (at
Canal Street) with Brooklyn (at Flatbush Avenue Extension) on
Long Island. It was the last of the three suspension bridges
built across the lower East River, following the Brooklyn and
the Williamsburg bridges. The bridge was opened to traffic on
December 31, 1909 and was designed by Leon Moisseiff, who later
designed the infamous original Tacoma Narrows Bridge that opened
and collapsed in 1940. It has four vehicle lanes on the upper
level (split between two roadways). The lower level has three
lanes, four subway tracks, a walkway and a bikeway. The upper
level, originally used for streetcars, has two lanes in each
direction, and the lower level is one-way and has three lanes in
peak direction. It once carried New York State Route 27 and
later was planned to carry Interstate 478. No tolls are charged
for motor vehicles to use the Manhattan Bridge. The original
pedestrian walkway on the sout