Podcast Summary: "What's the Best Bridge in New York?"

All Of It with Alison Stewart, WNYC
Guest: Greg Young, co-host of The Bowery Boys podcast
Date: December 2, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of the "Small Stakes, Big Opinions" series, host Alison Stewart and her guest, Greg Young, dive into New York City's bridges—iconic, historic, charming, and sometimes divisive. Listeners call in with personal stories and strong preferences, while Greg offers historical context and architectural insight into the city’s vast network of bridges. The conversation is full of local flavor, memories, and the ever-present debate over which is the best bridge in New York.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Role and Identity of Bridges in New York

• Bridges as Symbols of Growth:

  • Greg explains New York’s bridges as markers of the city's evolution—enabling both literal movement and symbolic legitimacy for developing areas.
  • Quote:

    "Bridges can represent the sort of legitimizing of a borough, or the vast development of areas where not as many people live. And also the transportation of people from overcrowded places to other places. It's very fundamental to understanding New York City itself." – Greg (02:47)

• Neighborhood and Identity Formation:

  • Places like Two Bridges or Kingsbridge are named for local bridges, showing their deep influence on urban identity (03:34).
  • Bridges can both build up and "tear out parts of neighborhoods," with Bay Ridge's struggles during the Verrazano's construction as a case study (03:34).

Aesthetic and Structural Diversity

• European Influence & Eclectic Mix:
  • Greg compares NYC's bridge landscape to Europe, citing how New York’s diversity is present in its bridges:

    "It's a little bit of Amsterdam over here. It's a little bit of Germany over here. It's a little bit of London Bridge over here." (04:51)

  • Bridges range from grand (Verrazano, George Washington) to small and functional (Carroll Street Bridge).

Listener Stories: Bridges as Family & Personal History

• The Human Element:

  • Bridget calls in to share the family tale of her grandfather leaving pennies in the Verrazano’s concrete—"a piece of our family history is literally in the Verrazano Bridge." (06:22)

• Attachment to Names and Architecture:

  • James from LA voices disdain for the "Ed Koch" renaming of the Queensborough Bridge, emphasizing its honest, industrial look as more "machine" than "ornamental" Brooklyn Bridge (07:20).
  • Greg responds:

    "The Queensborough seems to have something a little extra to its beauty. And when it opened in 1909, it also symbolized... 'Hey, we're five boroughs now.'" (08:31-09:45)

Landmark Bridges and Historical Context

• The High Bridge:

  • NYC's oldest bridge (completed 1848), originally built for the Croton Aqueduct (not people)—Roman arches testify to its engineering heritage.
  • Quote:

    "What's amazing is it wasn't built to carry people. It's built to carry water, water over water. Because it's part of the Croton aqueduct system, which is one of the greatest engineering feats of the 19th century." – Greg (10:08)

  • Listener Arthur highlights architect Bloomfield Jervis and the bridge’s unique changing spans and adaptation for river traffic (11:18).

• Robert Moses: Bridge Builder and Controversy

  • Known for using bridges as key infrastructure connections, not for the sake of bridges themselves—major examples include the Triborough (1936) and many others (13:06).
  • Moses also tried to build (unsuccessfully) a Brooklyn-Battery Bridge, which would have dramatically altered the harbor, but settled for a tunnel after protests, including from FDR (13:06-14:33).

• Verrazano-Narrows Bridge:

  • Symbolic of completing NYC’s connectivity, but also of neighborhood disruption.
  • Greg emphasizes its continuing grandeur:

    "So not only is it finally... in 1964, but it is in many ways the most grand of all the bridges. I mean, to me, it's like a breathtaking bridge when you kind of, like, see it over the horizon." (14:49)

Lesser-Known and Beloved Bridges

• Hell Gate, Botanical Garden Stone Arch, and Roosevelt Island Bridge:

  • Listeners chime in to praise smaller or less-famed spans, including the little-known elevator that once let people off the Queensborough Bridge onto Roosevelt (19:37-20:24).

• Naming and Pronunciation:

  • Kosciuszko Bridge: Greg advises "call it what you call it" as the local name takes on an identity of its own, regardless of perfect Polish pronunciation (20:24).

• Memorable Moments and City Views:

  • Nostalgia and personal stories abound—crossing the George Washington Bridge to visit family (16:54), walking across the Brooklyn Bridge the morning of 9/9/2001.
  • The Williamsburg Bridge is highlighted by Greg as offering the best city views (24:05):

    "I'm gonna say the Williamsburg Bridge because you can look down upon the Brooklyn Bridge... I love walking that bridge in particular... moments of just stopping and staring as the sun sets and you can see with the silhouette of the Brooklyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "A bridge is a machine... the Brooklyn Bridge looks like a spiderweb, and it's trying to look organic. And I think that's, you know, that's not honest." – James, caller (07:20)

• "There used to be an elevator in the middle of the bridge... so you could pull over and take an elevator down to the island. Isn't that incredible?" – Greg, on Queensborough/Roosevelt Elevator (19:37)

• "If he came back and like we had a seance and he came back and was like, 'I'm so offended,' maybe we could have that discussion, but he's not here. To me, the bridge takes on its own identity." – Greg, on Kosciuszko Bridge pronunciation (20:36)

• "We have to tell you, the person named Outer Bridge was Eugenius Harvey Outer Bridge, first chairman of the Port Authority. So boom." – Alison Stewart (23:47)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & Theme setup – 00:07-02:32
• Bridges and NYC Identity – 02:37-03:34
• Neighborhoods Named for Bridges – 03:34
• European Comparison – 04:34
• Listener Bridget’s story (Verrazano pennies) – 06:22
• Queensborough Bridge discussion & Naming dispute – 07:20-09:47
• High Bridge history and features – 09:55-11:18
• Listener Arthur on architectural details – 11:18
• Robert Moses and the age of infrastructure – 13:06-14:33
• Verrazano as a grand finale & Staten Island debate – 14:41-16:03
• Listener tales: GW Bridge, Childhood Worries – 16:49-18:45
• Little Red Lighthouse & City Island Bridge mentions – 22:38-22:49
• Kosciuszko Bridge pronunciation & new look – 20:24-21:24
• Best city view bridges – 24:01-24:55
• Where to find more bridge stories in Bowery Boys podcast – 25:04

Conclusion

This episode celebrates the bridges of New York as more than just thoroughfares—they are stages for family history, symbols of political power, marvels of engineering, and ongoing sources of civic pride, debate, and memory. The listener stories and Greg’s infectious enthusiasm elevate these spans from concrete and steel to landmarks of collective memory and local culture.

Want more? Greg recommends diving into the Bowery Boys podcast’s catalog for rich deep-dives on major bridges—look for episodes on the Verrazano-Narrows, George Washington, Brooklyn, Queensborough, and Manhattan bridges, among others. (25:04)

“What a question. Okay, I'm gonna say the Williamsburg Bridge because you can look down upon the Brooklyn Bridge... as the sun sets and you can see with the silhouette of the Brooklyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan. So that would be my choice.” – Greg (24:05)