Pulaski Bridge, Bascule bridge between Brooklyn and Queens, United States
Pulaski Bridge is a steel road bridge between Brooklyn and Queens that spans Newtown Creek and connects Long Island City to Greenpoint. It has six traffic lanes plus separate paths for pedestrians and cyclists.
The bridge opened in September 1954 and replaced the earlier Vernon Avenue Bridge. It was named after Kazimierz Pulaski, a Polish military commander who fought during the Revolutionary War.
The inscription 'Wheels Over Indian Trails' painted in 1979 honors the thirteen Native American tribes who once lived on Long Island. It reminds visitors that this location sits on ancestral land.
The bridge operates as a double-leaf bascule and opens multiple times daily to allow maritime traffic through at a clearance height of about 12 meters. Plan ahead if you cross when large vessels are passing.
The bridge marks a known point during the New York City Marathon where runners switch between boroughs. Many spectators gather here to cheer athletes as they make this transition between neighborhoods.
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