The bridge, which connects Manhattan and the Bronx and spans the Harlem River, connects 130 acres of parkland in the two boroughs.
Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
The historical ‘High Bridge’, the bridge that connects Manhattan and the Bronx, turned 175 this Tuesday and inhabitants of the two districts wanted to celebrate it.
“Today we celebrate the birthday of this bridge, The oldest in New York, it’s not the Brooklyn Bridge, 175 years here uniting two communities that are the two coolest boroughs, Manhattan and The Bronx,” said Mark Levine, Manhattan Borough President.
“It is the spectacular High Bridge that connects the Bronx and Manhattan across the Harlem River,” he added.
Levine also used his social networks to celebrate such a date: “Today we celebrate his 175th birthday. It was closed to the public for decades. Now an unmissable destination. Check it out!”.
Residents of both counties walked from their ends of the bridgeuntil they found themselves in the world, where different city officials were waiting for them as a symbol of unity.
“That it is a physical structure, but not only, of this bridge, but 175 years of collaboration between two communities, of sharing stories, of also sharing difficult moments that our communities have been able to endure,” he said. carmen de la rosaNew York City Councilmember for District 10: Washington Heights, Inwood and Marble Hill.
This bridge It was inaugurated in 1848 as part of the “Old Croton” aqueduct in Westchester, it is 41 miles long, which is why it is considered a marvel of engineering, since it allowed the supply of 47,000 gallons of drinking water to New York, that is, it was the first water supply system in the city.
“It is one of the oldest and most important, because below where we are here, is where the water that was brought from Upstate, New York came from,” declared Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodríguez.
It was closed in 1970 due to the contamination of the river and the disappearance of natural areas due to large works.
It reopened in 2015 after a restoration project of more than 60 million dollars.
“After 40 years that it was closed, it was closed since 1970 and we opened it in 2015, through the community of Manhattan and the community of The Bronx, you can have a walk here on the bridge”, declared Iris Rodríguez-Rosa, deputy commissioner of the Parks Department.
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