Brooklyn Bridge has been listed as one of the Engineering and technology good articles under the good article criteria. If you can improve it further, please do so. If it no longer meets these criteria, you can reassess it.

Article milestones Date Process Result December 16, 2019 Good article nominee Listed December 18, 2019 Good article reassessment Kept February 20, 2020 Peer review Reviewed Facts from this article were featured on Wikipedia's Main Page in the " On this day..." column on May 30, 2006, May 24, 2007, May 24, 2008, May 24, 2009, May 24, 2010, May 24, 2011, May 24, 2012, May 24, 2014, May 24, 2016, May 24, 2017, May 24, 2018, and May 24, 2023. Current status: Good article

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@ Epicgenius and Kingsif: The bridge deck height of 133' above MHW cited in the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission application of August 24, 1967 is, it appears, the most current readily available dimension for the navigational clearance of that structure. There is (or may be) a more recent measurement, perhaps on a US Government navigational chart based on NAVD 88 (see below), but I am unable to turn one up online.

The LPCA figure of 133' is based on a survey known as the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) ( NGVD 29). It superseded any prior measurements, such as that made when the Brooklyn Bridge was completed in 1883 and published as 135' in the 1914 edition of The World Almanac & Book of Facts formerly cited at the BB article.

NGVD 29 (and measurements based on it) have themselves been superseded, replaced by the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 ( NAVD 88), a Tidal Datum based on an 18.6 year lunar nodal cycle (and well overdue to be replaced by one based on a subsequent cycle already several years underway, the Datum of 2022 [1]).

If anyone can find a navigational clearance for the BB based on NAVD 88 it would take precedence over the dimension in the LPCA. Yours, Wikiuser100 ( talk) 21:14, 20 December 2019 (UTC) reply

@ Epicgenius and Kingsif: Guys, I have found the most current possible reference and dimension for the vertical clearance of the deck of the Brooklyn Bridge. It is off the current NOAA National Ocean Service Coast Survey navigational chart of the Hudson and East River between 67th street and Governors Island, last corrected October 1, 2019: [2]. It gives the navigational clearance of the bridge as 127'. (And even lists a temporary dimension of 110' beneath its movable repair platforms.) So that is the official dimension from the low point of the bridge deck to Mean High Water (itself established by the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88), and the basis for all depths, soundings, and elevations on the map). I will make the appropriate change and citation at the main article. Yours, Wikiuser100 ( talk) 18:04, 21 December 2019 (UTC) reply

@ Wikiuser100: Thanks for the find. I think it may have something to do with different, more accurate methods of measurement, as well as sea level changes. In any case, this puts a whole new perspective on the height of the span. epicgenius ( talk) 20:40, 21 December 2019 (UTC) reply

@ Epicgenius and Kingsif:. A change of 2' over a century due to more accurate methods/technologies and sea level changes, I could definitely see that - and expected we would (or already had, from 135' to 133'). A figure of 127' - which is unambiguously on the NOAA nav chart updated through this past October - I did not see coming. And can't explain. But indeed anticipate a couple of inch change with the arrival of the Datum of 2022, which uses satellite-based GPS and sophisticated gravimetric modeling rather than the "intermediate" technologies (of advanced manual measurement, carried out "boots on the ground", available prior to 1988). Which includes some (accelerating) sea level rise due to climate change.

According to Wikipedia's article on Air draft real time navigational clearance is now being measured in selected areas via laser, and accessible via wireless link to ship captains and harbor pilots. This, as you know, can be mighty important on very large and tall vessels. The ginormous for its day USS Forrestal (CV-59), arguably the US' 1st supercarrier and largest ship ever at its commissioning in 1955, was designed so its two folding masts could clear the Brooklyn Bridge (and pass under the 135' Manhattan Bridge) en route to the then still important Navy Yard at Wallabout Bay . It's a bad day for everyone when they don't and things go crunch.

Today's supercarriers (cruise ships, and container ships) are much, much higher, well in excess of 200'. I enjoyed watching once an entire fleet arm steam into San Francisco Bay from a vantage near Seal Rocks, with a score of escort ships parading under the Golden Gate Bridge as the tide fell, waiting the synchronized arrival of, if I recall correctly, the massive USS Enterprise (CVN-65) at low tide, which slowed and lollygagged for a spell while its mast was stepped before venturing beneath the 220' Golden Gate. You could imagine every person on board holding their breath while everyone on shore gaped, as it did not seem possible to us at Lands End it would fit under, so pronounced was the optical illusion of our line of sight. And never does from onboard. Admirals lose stars, or stars and anchors, when someone goofs. Yours, Wikiuser100 ( talk) 02:45, 22 December 2019 (UTC) reply

Hi, The lede claims that "it is one of the oldest roadway bridges in the United States." Since the oldest, the Frankford Avenue Bridge was built in 1697 and the Kingston Bridge (Kingston, New Jersey) in 1798 (7th oldest according to this website), I get the feeling that there were plenty more constructed before 1883. What to do? A {{ cn}} seems a bit harsh. In the third para: "Only vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic traffic are permitted, with commercial vehicles being banned." I would suggest "Only private vehicular...", and delete one of the "traffic"s, which seems to have escaped the notice of the the GA reviewer. MinorProphet ( talk) 09:17, 22 January 2020 (UTC) reply

@ MinorProphet: Thanks for the comments. Yes a {{ cn}} would be kind of harsh, and a bit wrong (the correct tag would be {{ disputed-inline}}). I removed that because it obviously is not true, and not cited in the body. I believe Tea or poison? resolved your second concern about repeated "traffic". I really should've gotten that to WP:GOCE, since I wrote the lead on the fly. epicgenius ( talk) 23:30, 24 January 2020 (UTC) reply

After re-reading the intro, may I say what a pleasure indeed it is to read a lede that others may heed and take as a creed. > MinorProphet ( talk) 01:22, 27 January 2020 (UTC) reply

I believe the Roebling suspension in Cincinnati is an older steel wire suspension bridge. It was completed in 1867 and is the model for the Brooklyn Bridge. Built by John Roebling. Same designer as the Brooklyn Bridge. The first was the Wheeling Suspension Bridge opened in 1849. Reference Wikipedia. Comment moved from the article to talk. Dreamy Jazz 🎷 ^{talk to me | my contributions} 00:26, 25 February 2020 (UTC) reply

Dreamy Jazz, thanks for the catch. Have fixed that now. epicgenius ( talk) 14:31, 27 February 2020 (UTC) reply

An editor trimmed a link about Joseph Henderson, stating that it was unreferenced. However, the second reference given says this:

Captain Joseph Henderson, a Sandy Hook pilot, was the  next   witness called. He testified  as to  the difficulties  masters  of ships  would experience  in  bringing   their  ships  under   the   bridge   when completed.

Perhaps there was some other reason for trimming the link TEDickey ( talk) 19:02, 17 July 2020 (UTC) reply

@ Tedickey:, It was inserted by a Henderson family member who has been going around looking for excuse to insert Henderson contents into the article for what appears to be more for promoting his family heritage more so than improving the encyclopedia. There is a discussion at COI Noticeboard. Graywalls ( talk) 03:11, 19 July 2020 (UTC) reply

I have just uploaded a video I took of Brooklyn Bridge in 2019. If anyone thinks it is suitable for the article do please place it wherever may be appropriate. Anne ( talk) 16:33, 4 January 2021 (UTC) reply

I've positioned the video on the article now, but it might need adjusting R or L. Anne ( talk) 13:28, 5 January 2021 (UTC) reply

Under the Caissons section of Construction under History, I've added a quotation from Frank Harris to better convey the human experience of the working conditions. I've also added "the bends" as the commonly known term for decompression sickness at the time. Relevant citation here: ^[1] Tyrone Madera ( talk) 22:14, 11 March 2021 (UTC) reply

Sorry if this is not the correct way to make this proposition. I am missing information about the architect. It was Wilhelm Hildenbrand I think somehow it should be mentioned.

This isn't correct. As described in the article the bridge was designed by John Roebling, with further work by Washington Roebling. Hildenbrand was a draftsman who worked for Washington Roebling. Dan Bloch ( talk) 06:58, 9 May 2021 (UTC) reply

I like this article. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.183.25.236 ( talk) 09:08, 25 March 2022 (UTC) reply

In two locations in the article, the 1922 ban on motor vehicle traffic over the bridge is described. In both cases, the next section discusses motor vehicle traffic on the bridge over 25 years later. At some point, clearly, the ban was lifted, but I don't see a mention of it. This crucial piece of the narrative - which I know nothing about or would add it myself - should be included. MicroProf ( talk) 15:57, 24 May 2023 (UTC) reply

@ MicroProf, thanks for bringing this up. The ban was lifted on May 12, 1925. I cannot believe that I forgot to add that before. – Epicgenius ( talk) 01:44, 19 October 2023 (UTC) reply

I just finished David McCullough's The Great Bridge. The caisson fire and the "Great Blowout" were two separate events. Both of them did occur in the Brooklyn caisson. Unfortunately, I have already loaned away the book and cannot look up the details of each event to correct the text. I will do so if I can find another source. Mark ( talk) 21:36, 29 May 2023 (UTC) reply

Seems like we should have some mention of John McCarthy, who repeatedly sold the bridge and made the "have I got a bridge to sell you..." phrase famous. Some stuff here. Matt Deres ( talk) 13:41, 16 April 2024 (UTC) reply