Atlantic Beach Bridge

The Atlantic Beach Bridge spans the Reynolds Channel, extending the Nassau Expressway (Route 878) from the main body of Long Island to the Atlantic Beach section of Long Beach. The draw bridge spans some 1,200 feet, with a 150 foot bascule opening. Its construction is primarily concrete, reinforced with steel.

The original Atlantic Beach Bridge was opened in 1927, slightly east of where it stands today. Though it had less than half the capacity of the modern bridge, the original Atlantic Beach Bridge served faithfully until 1950, when the Nassau County Port Authority began construction of a replacement. The new bridge opened in 1952, and the old one was promptly demolished. Though absent from the physical world, the old bridge's reflection still lingers in the Penumbra; the small, older brother of the modern incarnation, rotting away as it's gradually forgotten.

Upgrades for the new bridge include a higher unopened clearance, structural reinforcement, and a wider span for more lanes. The bridge remained unchanged for most of the rest of century. 1998 saw the start of $19 million reconstruction project, which finished just over two years later. Improvements included re-decking and structural upgrades. Tolls are one-way - northbound - and cost $2.50 for vehicles or $0.50 for pedestrians.

The recent history of the Atlantic Beach Bridge is speckled with corruption and mismanagement. The bridge is Nassau County Bridge Authority, not the county itself. The Nassau County Bridge Authority was originally formed as an organization to manage the construction of the bridge and manage the tolls. Even once the Authority's goal was accomplished, the group lingered on due to the influence of Inwood leader Peter "Uncle Pete" DeSibio.

When audited by a New York comptroller in 1999, it was discovered that DeSibio had failed to seek competitive construction bids; three-quarters of the bridge's budget went to pay salaries, while only 12% of it went to bridge maintenance; poor budgeting forced several toll hikes; and jobs were handed out primarily to friends, family, and allies of DeSibio.

Though Uncle Pete died in 1993, his legacy, albeit weakening, lives on. Momentum is gaining to dissolve the Nassau County Bridge Authority and put the bridge under county management, thus doing away with tolls altogether. However, many Atlantic Beach residents are in favor of keeping tolls, as they feel it keeps out crime and riffraff.

Cross Bay Bridge

The Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge reaches from the Rockaway Peninsula to Jamaica Bay Island and Queens. The bridge is a long causeway, extending a total of 3,000 feet and the 275' center span provides a 200' channel with a 55' clearing for vessels. The bridge features ten foot walkways for pedestrians and fishers.

The original Cross Bay Bridge was built just after World War I, and was a simple, two-lane wooden trestle bridge often used for fishing. This bridge endured until 1936, when Robert Moses succeeded in pushing his plans for a new parkway bridge. Construction on the new bridge, a concrete bascule called the Cross Bay Parkway Bridge, was completed in 1939.

Thirty years after the second bridge was completed, Moses - in a reckless power bid - promised a new bridge and renovations costing a total of $40,000,000 and totally depleting the surplus of New York City's budget. Four years and tens of millions of dollars later, the new bridge opened. In 1977, the Cross Bay Parkway Bridge was renamed the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge, and in 2004 a $10 million renovation plan was finished.

Long Beach Bridge

The Long Beach Bridge is a six-lane double bascule bridge, connecting Long Beach with Island Park. The drawbridge spans 150 feet with a meager 29' clearance, and the bridge has a total length of 820 feet.

The original two-lane Long Beach Bridge was constructed in 1922 and was the first bridge to connect Long Beach to Long Island. By the 1940s, the bridge was becoming obviously outdated. Plans for a new bridge began in 1950, and construction started in 1953. The northbound eastern span opened in 1955, and its southbound twin opened a bit over a year afterwards.

Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge

The Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge is a 4,022' truss bridge with a 540' lift. When the lift is lowered, the bridge has a clearance of 58 feet. When raised, the lift provides a 150' clearance. A 5 foot pedestrian walkway flanks the bridge, and is considered part of the Rockaway Greenway.

The Marine Parkway Bridge's construction began in 1936 to connect Brooklyn to Fort Tilden. Special care was paid to its aesthetic aspects, due to heavy opposition to the bridge's construction and concerns of the inherent ugliness of lift bridge designs. The bridge began service in 1937, cutting travel from New York City to the Rockaways from almost thirty miles to one mile. Though originally intended for recreational traffic, the bridge quickly proved much more popular than that.

Over the next thirty years, the bridge and the area around it was formed into a large recreational area. Incorporated into this were the Floyd Bennett Field and Fort Tilden. In 1978, the Bridge was renamed in honor of Gil Hodges, a first baseman of the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Mets manager.

A $120 million rehabilitation plan began in 1998 to overhaul the decks, mechanical system, electrical systems, and to add new barriers and electronic signs, and it was completed in 2003.