Othmar Ammann Bridge

The Othmar Ammann Bridge was opened in 2005 to replace the historic Washington Street Bridge. The project began in 1993, with the design work beginning in 1997 and ended in 2000. The construction began in 2003 and finished in 2005. This bridge is a fairly standard design, with concrete beams and hammerhead piers.

The bridge is named for Othmar Ammann, who was a former Boonton resident. Ammann was a Swiss born and educated civil engineer and designer. He was born in 1879 and emigrated to the USA in 1904. In 1912 he began working as the assistant engineer on the Hell Gate Bridge and the Sciotoville Bridge. He was hired as the chief engineer for the Port Authority of New York from 1930 to 1937, and as the director of engineering from 1937 to 1939.

During this time, Ammann guided the construction of many of New York’s signature bridges, including the George Washington Bridge, Bayonne Bridge, Triborough Bridge, Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, Henry Hudson Bridge, and Goethals Bridge. He was also responsible for managing the construction of the Lincoln Tunnel, and he sat on the Board of Engineers in charge of the Golden Gate Bridge. In 1939, Ammann opened his own engineering office, and in 1946 he teamed with Charles Whitney to form Ammann and Whitney. Through this partnership he was able to collaborate on some of the best-known American bridges, including the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, the Delaware Memorial Bridge, and the Walt Whitman Bridge.

Ammann was known for combining graceful symmetry and harmonious proportions with utility and strength to create elegant designs. This led to a new era in bridge design. Some of the hallmarks of his designs are exposed steel, slender decks, and anchorage aesthetic.