Even before the Brooklyn Bridge was finished in 1883, city planners recognized that additional East River crossings would be needed to meet the growing transportation needs of New York City. Construction began on the Williamsburg Bridge on October 28th, 1896, with Leffert Buck as the chief engineer and Henry Hombostel as the architect.
Oh my gosh, I love this post! Bridges, history, city planning! Who could ask for more!