Designers and Engineers

Designers and Engineers. Othmar Ammann and Cass Gilbert. , The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey hired two innovative masters to collaboratively design the Bayonne Bridge: Othmar H. Ammann, Chief Bridge Engineer, and Cass Gilbert, Consulting Architect. Ammann and Gilbert produced an elegant steel Arch truss bridge design to span the Kill Van Kull that was efficient, affordable and suited to the site and aesthetically pleasing., Othmar Ammann , The design for the Bayonne Bridge was the brainchild of Othmar Ammann (1879-1965). Born in Switzerland, Ammann studied under Swiss engineer K. E. Hilgard before moving to the United States in 1904. Ammann worked with famed bridge engineer Gustav Lindenthal on the Pennsylvania Railroad's Hell Gate Bridge connecting Queens and the Bronx, which was the world's largest Arch bridge when completed in 1917., In 1944, the Port of New York Authority (forerunner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey) hired Ammann to serve as Chief Bridge Engineer. During his early years in the position, he supervised the construction of the Goethals Bridge and the Outerbridge Crossing, the Port Authority's first bridge projects. The Bayonne Bridge, as well as the George Washington Bridge, were Ammann's first major bridge designs. Throughout his long career, Ammann designed several major bridges in the New York City area and beyond and won many awards and commendations., Cass Gilbert , Cass Gilbert (1859-1934), Consulting Architect for the Bayonne Bridge, had already achieved a national reputation for the design of his iconic buildings. He designed such buildings as the Woolworth Building and the U.S. Customs House in Manhattan, and the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C. Gilbert's vision for the Bayonne Bridge included the construction of decorative granite facing around the steel towers at each end of the bridge. Designed to display strength, weight and performance, the stone facing was never completed due to the financial crisis of the 1930s., Sister Bridge , The Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia was under construction at the same time as the Bayonne Bridge and provided ideas for constructing the arch without interfering with the shipping channel. The Sydney Harbour and Bayonne Bridges are "sister" bridges, meaning they have a very similar appearance and age. The same pair of golden scissors was used to cut the ceremonial ribbon at both bridges' opening ceremonies. The Bayonne Bridge is 23 feet longer and two months older than her Australian sibling.