Summer, 2001.

The Manhattan Bridge, aka 'the Manny B' is a span between Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan just north of the harbor and the older and more famous Brooklyn Bridge.

The Manhattan Bridge is used both by subways and cars: There are 3 roadways: one on the lower level, which is between the 2 sets of tracks, and two on the 'upper level' which are placed over the subway tracks.

The bridge was not well designed and has suffered from poor maintenance through much of it's lifetime, until in the 1980's when inspectors realized just how bad the span had become. Ever since then various parts of the bridge have rotated in and out of service, most notably the subway service. Since the mid1980's at least one side of the bridge has been out of service to train traffic, beginning with the north side of the bridge, then turning to the south side around 1990, and now recycling back to the north side being closed. Finally this cycle came to an end in 2003 with the reopening of the north side subway tracks. Due to the constant maintenance work being performed, there is usually at least one lane closed to traffic, though this may change at any time.

All of the photos to the left were taken in the summer of 2001, during one of several trips to, in, and around the bridge. Back then, no one much noticed and/or cared about anyone hanging around the roadways of the bridge looking for adventure. Today, you'd probably get looked at a little funny and perhaps stopped by the terrorist-paranoid police. The innocence of those nights is now lost, though hopefully not forever.

It is almost ironic to in retrospect that on the morning of September 11, I used this bridge to escape from manhattan. Amidst rumors of bridge closings and more planes incoming, I knew I could get across it, even if the general public could not. Fortunately on that day, the only traffic was foot traffic by the thousands.