The Brooklyn Bridge Rehabilitation

Recently, the New York City Department of Transportation finished the rehabilitation of the Brooklyn Bridge. After years of deterioration for this aging structure, this nearly 150 year old bridge was commissioned to be improved.

There were some initial cosmetic improvements on this bridge. Many new lights were installed, giving a more modern feeling to a old structure. Also, the grey color was replenished to the building, restoring it to its initial state.

Also, more public spaces was added to the bottom of this building. Room for basketball courts was installed, adding more room for social facilitation in New York.

Along with this, the rehabilitation project includes a revamp of the structural integrity. It plans to strengthen masonry towers, fix foundations, and restore many of the aging brick and concrete components. Because of this, the Bridge has is able to retain stability when supporting the transportation hundreds of thousands of citizens, a load that was not applied to the initial bridge.

There were also changes to protect cyclists on this bridge. Designated bike lanes were added to the Brooklyn Bridge, allowing for the effective separation of cars and citizens. With the rise of cycling during the pandemic, engineers took this measure to keep cyclists safe from high-risk New York traffic.

The rehabilitation of this bridge is an example of how engineers can repurpose and replenish old infrastructure. Being an icon of American architecture, engineers had to make sure that this bridge would last for generations to come. Also, by taking a look at social demands (want for more public space and cyclist protection), engineers were able to multi-task with this project and create further improvements within a city. Many civil engineers alike should look to do the same with lots of old infrastructure, and should seek to take into account societal changes and population demands when rehabilitating diminished structures.