The Williamsburg Bridge is sort of the ugly cousin of New York's bridges.
Sprawling across the East River, it connects the Lower East Side of Manhattan to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It was named after Benjamin Franklin’s grand-nephew, Colonel Jonathan Williams. It’s open to subway, car, bike, and pedestrian traffic.
From its opening in 1903 until the construction of the Bear Mountain Bridge in upstate New York in 1924, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world (now it ranks 73rd).
It’s much longer than either the Manhattan or Brooklyn Bridges, but it’s still comfortable to walk here. The enclosures and subway and car lines make it a bit more claustrophobic than the other bridges, but the otherwise unobstructed views along the East River more than make up for it.
Because of the diversity of the neighborhoods it connects, there’s always an enormous cross section of people on the bridge. The funny juxtaposition of these different groups of people, and the bridge itself make it perfect for snapping photos. The bridge is so long, just make sure you bring enough film!
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