Double-no quits
The enormous growth in traffic between Queens and the Bronx may be measured by the fact that the Whitestone and its modern partner, the Throgs Neck Bridge each carry as many vehicles as the Whitestone did alone as late as in 1960. More than 100 thousand vehicles now traverse the spans of the Throngs Neck Bridge everyday. The bridge honors John Throckmorton, a 17th century pioneering settler from across the Atlantic. The Throngs neck Bridge has a place of honor in the modern and continuing development of the Bronx and Queens. It also has a major role in ensuring the smooth flow of vehicles in the greater New York area. The Maritime College in Schuyler, Fort Totten, Beechhurst, Bayside and Locust Point are some famous names and landmarks of the Bronx and Queens, which would have been more than an hour apart across the East River, were it not for this $ 92 million bridge that stands at the fluid junction of the East River and the Long Island Sound. The Throngs Neck is no more than 2 miles distant from the Whitestone Bridge. Othmar Ammann, who designed the Thogs Neck Bridge, had suffered some opprobrium for his earlier flamboyance that people blamed for deck flaws. His pre-work had been the subject of much controversy. Ammann was dutifully conservative in his approach to the Throgs Neck Bridge, and employed a more tested style for his new creation. One bonus of his new thinking was to give people driving across the bridge, panoramic views of the Long Island Sound and of the sky-caressing structures of New York as well. Engineers and planners are now seized of the issue related to future trends in traffic between the Bronx and Queens, and the future role of the Throgs Neck Bridge. The volume of traffic continues to grow, and the Throngs Neck Bridge has been alert to the growing demands on its capacity. The approach on the Queens side from the Cross Island Parkway has been re-laid already. The Throngs Neck Bridge has also become the first in the Metropolitan Transport Authority’s basket with modern variable signs. The upgrades are not all cosmetic: there is a whole new deck with better drainage and lights, and the suspension cables have been strengthened. However, the ban on the movement of heavy trucks by day continues for the time being. The Throngs Neck Bridge has a major role in vehicular flow between Queens and the Bronx, the restrictions on heavy trucks notwithstanding.
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Most crossings of the East River, above and below ground, are of the pre World War II era. Some such as the incomparable Brooklyn Bridge belong to the 19th century. They are permanent symbols of the transformation of the boroughs of New York, from agriculture to commerce, industry and suburban residences. The Throgs Neck Bridge on the other hand, is proof that New York had wind to grow in the post War years, as it belongs to the 1960s. It was originally thought of as an alternative to the Whitestone Bridge that was bursting with traffic. However the Throngs Neck Bridge has become a means for traffic between the Bronx and 