Did You Know the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge has one of the wildest backstories of any NYC landmark?
Connecting Brooklyn and Staten Island, this iconic span is named after explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, the first European to enter New York Harbor in 1524. But here’s the twist: his name was misspelled for decades. Thanks to a typo in a 1960s contract, the bridge officially had only one “z” until New York State corrected it by law in 2014.
Built between 1959 and 1964 under legendary engineer Othmar Ammann, the bridge opened after just five years of construction. At the time, it became the longest suspension span in the world at 4,260 feet—a record it held until 1981 and one it still holds in the Americas today.
Here’s where it gets even cooler
• The bridge has two decks and 13 lanes
• Each main cable contains enough wire to wrap around the Earth multiple times
• In summer, the roadway can drop about 12 feet due to heat expansion
• It was the heaviest bridge ever built when completed
• Safety nets added after a worker walkout ended up saving lives
• 1973 Oil Tanker Explosion:
A violent collision between the oil tankers Sea Witch and Esso Brussels ignited a massive fire 228 feet below the bridge. Despite the intense flames and damage to the waterway, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge remained structurally sound, with only the lower deck temporarily closed.
• Saturday Night Fever Pop-Culture Moment:
The bridge gained lasting fame in the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever, starring John Travolta. It appears in the film’s powerful final scene, symbolizing transformation and the desire for something more beyond the familiar streets of Brooklyn. This moment cemented the Verrazzano as a cinematic symbol of 1970s New York and disco-era culture.
• An Unlikely Wildlife Habitat:
Peregrine falcons have successfully nested on the bridge’s towers, making the structure an unexpected home for wildlife high above the constant flow of traffic.
From engineering marvel to movie star to typo gone viral—this bridge proves infrastructure can be anything but boring.
Fun Facts Friday question: how many times have you crossed it without knowing these stories?
