10 Secrets of Hell Gate Bridge in NYC
untapped new york.
New York City’s Hell Gate Bridge sits on the north end of the East River, between Astoria, Queens, and Randall’s Island. The bridge is named for the once-dangerous channel it crosses, derived from the Dutch word hellegat, which means “hell channel.” Infrastructure aficionados marked the span’s centennial year with cake and events in 2017…
The Hell Gate Bridge is actually a complex of three bridges: the well-known Steel Arch, an inverted bowstring arch that spans a former water-filled channel (Little Hell Gate) between Wards and Randall’s Islands, and a small truss bridge, which would have been a double bascule-type bridge that goes over a small “Kill” between the Bronx and Randall’s Island.
In 2015, a pedestrian and bike route was opened beneath arches of the truss bridge, providing a pleasant and easy way to connect between the Port Morris in the Bronx and Randall’s Island. The bridge was the result of years of activism by groups like South Bronx Unite and others who have been advocating for healthier urban design for a community adversely affected by continued industrial waterfront conversion.
