Willis Avenue Bridge
The Willis Avenue Bridge is a swing bridge that carries road traffic northbound (and bicycles and pedestrians both ways) over the Harlem River between the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx, United States. It connects First Avenue in Manhattan with Willis Avenue in the Bronx. The New York City Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining and operating the bridge.
The bridge is part of the course for the annual New York City Marathon. The runners, after crossing over from Manhattan to The Bronx via the bridge (which has been dubbed "the wall" because it marks the 20-mile point on the run[3]) then follow a short course through the borough and return to Manhattan for the race's final leg via the Madison Avenue Bridge.[4]
Between 2000 and 2014, the bridge opened for vessels 214 times.[5]
In popular culture[edit]
"Willis Avenue Bridge" is the name of a song by David Berkeley from his 2009 album Strange Light.[12]
"Beneath the Willis Bridge" is the name of the 2015 album released by 80 REEF.
In a famous publicity photo for the film Midnight Cowboy, Joe Buck and Ratso Rizzo (Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman) are seen walking on the old Willis Avenue Bridge.[13]
Public transportation[edit]
The Willis Avenue Bridge carries the M125 bus route operated by MTA New York City Transit. The route's average weekday ridership is 19,951.[14]