Hudson Heights in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
A Work of Art
Othmar Ammann contributed six bridges to New York City, each with their own merits but the George Washington Bridge was a favorite. In fact, some 30 years after the bridge opened, Ammann told a reporter that he was "in love with it." With this bridge, the humble engineer emerged as a master in his field and set a standard of form and function.
Amman''s design is so structurally sound, the bridge could support a third deck dependent on parallel growth of connecting highways. But, the bridge was also built with the eyes of future generations in mind. Ammann always considered aesthetics in his plans.
The George Washington Bridge did more than solve a critical engineering problem, it awed the world the world with its harmony of strength and beauty. It is a monument to a time of great optimism and progress, as well as the legacy of a man who advanced art alongside infrastructure.
Sources: "George Washington Bridge: A Timeless Marvel" and "Six Bridges: The Legacy of Othmar H. Ammann" by Darl Rastorfer, The New York Times and American Society of Civil Engineers. Photo credit: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, unless otherwise noted.
"AlthoughI believe that the art of engineering is one of the activities of modern civilization which contribute greatly to the benefit of humanity, nevertheless I recognize its shortcomings. I am a lover of fine art and I advocate its application to our engineering works of today. After all, art is an expression of our intellectual and moral life. We cannot urge too strongly the importance of the architectural or aesthetic side of our planning of public works."
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Othmar H. Ammann
From "A Master Bridge Builder Looks Ahead"
by S.J. Woolf
The New York Times
April 15, 1934
[Caption:]
The cast stainless-steel medallion inlay at the center of this viewing platform is an artistic representation of a replacement suspender rope in cross section.
Erected by Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Bridges & Viaducts. A significant historical date for this entry is April 15, 1934.
Location. 40° 51.004′ N, 73° 56.477′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in Hudson Heights. It can be reached from the intersection of Cabrini Boulevard and West 180th Street, on the right
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), July 3, 2025
2. Markers on display at George Washington Bridge Park
Regionally, this marker is in New York City. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Maintaining the Bridge (here, next to this marker); Modern Updates (here, next to this marker); Next Level (here, next to this marker); Making History (here, next to this marker); Opening Celebration (here, next to this marker); Building the Bridge (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named Building the Bridge (a few steps from this marker); The Winning Plan (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 12, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 12, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 113 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 12, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
