Bridge over broadway

Abstract

In the middle of the 19th century, traffic congestion on the streets of New York City's commercial districts was, as it remains today, a major problem. Getting around town was especially difficult for pedestrians. Numerous solutions to ease the situation were proposed. One popular idea that had been discussed for years was finally tried in 1867. A bridge for pedestrians was built spanning the intersection of Broadway and Fulton Street in the heart of crowded lower Manhattan. Officially called the Broadway Bridge it became more commonly known as the ‘Loew Bridge’ after City Alderman Charles E. Loew, a major proponent of the project. As successful and practical as the bridge might have been it was removed a year following its erection. Its short life has been attributed to Knox, the famous hatter, who, with a store on one corner of the intersection and competition all around him, apparently felt it was a deterrent to business. According to one newspaper account, a sign was hung on the bridge just before its demolition that read, ‘This bridge has been Loew for some time, Hard Knox killed it.’