Marine Parkway Bridge-Gil Hodges Postcard

Built and opened by the Marine Parkway Authority in 1937, it was the longest vertical-lift span in the world for automobiles. The curled tops of the towers were designed to give the bridge a whimsical aspect. Following the 1940 merger of the Marine Parkway Authority and Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, the operation of the bridge fell to TBTA.[5] In 1978, the bridge was renamed for Gil Hodges, the former first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers.[5] Hodges kept a residence in Brooklyn after his team moved to Los Angeles. He also played for the Queens-based New York Mets at the end of his career, and managed the Mets from 1968 until his sudden death in 1972, including victory in the 1969 World Series. 1999 Renovation[edit] In 1999, the existing steel-grated roadway deck on the lift span was replaced with a concrete-and-steel orthotropic deck. A new concrete ("Jersey") barrier was also installed to separate opposing traffic flows. In addition, the elevators and electrical systems in the two towers were replaced, and new variable message signs and traffic control devices were installed on the bridge, approach roadways, and toll plaza. The toll plaza also received a brand-new service building. Facts[edit] The center span is raised and lowered 100 times a year to allow vessels to pass beneath the roadway. The center span is 540 feet (160 m) long and is only 55 feet (17 m) above the water but can be lifted to a height of 150 feet above the water. Part of the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 was filmed from a tollbooth camera on this bridge.