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EAST RIVER
- This article is about the East River in New York City. For other uses, see East River (disambiguation).
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The East River is a tidal strait in New York City connecting Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island (including the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn) from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland.
In reference to its connection to Long Island Sound, it was once also known as the Sound River.
The Channel
Historically, the lower portion of the river (separating Manhattan from Brooklyn) was one of the busiest and most important channels in the world, particularly during the first three centuries of New York City's history. The Brooklyn Bridge, opened in 1883, was the first bridge to span the river, replacing frequent ferry service. (Some passenger ferry service remains between Queens and Manhattan.)
The Bronx River drains into the East River in the northern section of the strait.
North of Ward's Island, it is joined by the Bronx Kill. Along the east of Ward's Island, at approximately the strait's midpoint, it narrows into a channel called Hell Gate, which is spanned by both the Triborough Bridge and the Hell Gate Bridge. On the south side of Ward's Island, it is joined by the Harlem River.
Newtown Creek on Long Island drains into the East River, forming part of the boundary between Queens and Brooklyn.
The East River contains a number of islands, including:
- Upper section
- Lower Section
Crossings
Bridges
The river is spanned by eight bridges, which from north to south are:
Tunnels
The river is spanned by thirteen tunnels. From north to south, along with uses as of July 2006:
See also
External links
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