When the George Washington Bridge opened in 1931, at 4,760 feet long, it was the longest bridge span globally. The GW bridge would keep this illustrious title until 1937 when San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge was completed and surpassed it by 700 feet. 

The GW Bridge is a double-decked suspension bridge, with eight lanes on the upper deck and six lanes below. The upper deck was originally built with only six lanes and expanded to eight lanes in 1946 and the lower deck was constructed in 1958 to accommodate the increase in traffic.  

You can walk or ride a bike across the upper span of the bridge. Although there are two sidewalks, the northern sidewalk is typically closed. 

Be sure to visit the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal to view the bronze bust of the bridge designer Othmar H. Ammann.