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110-501: While sailing on the Long Island Sound , inventor and sailor Paul A. Sperry slipped on the deck of his boat and fell overboard. He was able to pull himself back on board, but the experience drove him to develop a non-slip shoe for boating. While experimenting, he noticed his cocker spaniel 's ability to run down an icy hill without slipping. Examining its paws, he noticed traction-enhancing grooves, which he sought to mimic by cutting

220-557: A 2,800-foot (850 m) ramp directly east of Cryder's Point in Bay Terrace, Queens . Including approaches, the bridge spans more than 2.1 miles (3.4 km). The span is supported by two main cables, which suspend the deck and are held up by the suspension towers. Each main cable contains 37 strands, with each strand made of 296 individual wires, for a total of 10,952 wires per main cable. The main cables weigh 1,790 short tons (1,600 long tons; 1,620 metric tons) each. At each end of

330-508: A cost of $ 1.2   million. After a June 2005 inspection of the Throgs Neck Bridge, damage was found on the approach viaducts. The damage was found to be more severe away from the median barrier. As a result, heavy trucks carrying over 40 tons were permitted to use the bridge only between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., when traffic was lightest. The program was canceled in 2007, and overweight vehicles were only allowed to use

440-878: A mainstay of striped bass and other pelagic fish . The ban of netting of bunker - which were over-fished in the late 1990s - has significantly improved the quality and volume of the striped bass population in Long Island Sound. Underwater cables transmit electricity under Long Island Sound, most notably a new and controversial Cross Sound Cable that runs from New Haven in western Connecticut, to Shoreham in central Long Island, and an older one from Rye in Westchester County to Oyster Bay on Long Island. Scientists debate whether submarine power cables are safe for marine ecosystems, but installations like large-scale armoing around cables helps to protect overall ecological impact and provides ecosystem regeneration. Over

550-512: A multi-brand acquisition. The company was purchased, along with the other brands from Payless's Collective Brands Performance and Lifestyle Group portfolio, in 2012 by Wolverine World Wide and Blum Capital Partners for US$ 1.23 billion. In 2009, Footwear News named Sperry Top-Sider the Brand of the Year. In early 2015, Sperry announced that the brand had dropped the defining trait "Top-Sider" name from

660-551: A nontidal, freshwater lake to a tidal, saline arm of the sea. Numerous rivers empty into the Sound, including: Connecticut New York Rhode Island The whole watershed population is about 8.93 million as of the 2010 census. Due to extent of the Connecticut River, many riverside cities and towns are included in the Long Island Sound watershed. The largest towns and cities from south to north, west to east are: Seaweeds in

770-424: A pattern of them into a natural rubber sole utilizing a process known as siping . The Sperry "Top-Sider" boat shoe that was introduced in 1935 featured a canvas upper, herringbone siping, and a white outsole to prevent the shoe from leaving dark scuff marks on a boat's deck. The Commonwealth Shoe and Leather Co. later partnered with Sperry on a design using specially tanned water-resistant leather, which became

880-514: A provisional agreement for the highway arterial plan in late March 1955, and the plan was officially approved by the New York state legislature two weeks later. Initially, the bridge approach on the Queens side was controversial because of the number of people who would be displaced, and there were proposals to scrap the bridge entirely. In September 1956, Queens borough leaders agreed on the location for

990-452: A rate of two per day. Installation of the deck started at each suspension tower and continued outward in either direction, extending toward the center and the approach viaducts on each side. Afterward, concrete was poured atop the steel sections. The steelwork for the roadway was completed in summer 1960, and work on constructing the Throgs Neck Bridge's approaches progressed simultaneously. The Queens approach viaduct had been completed up to

1100-569: A recessional moraine . Other islands, including the Thimble Islands , are for the most part exposed bedrock with a thin amount of drift, often not continuous. Other shoals and islands off the Connecticut coast are a mixture of these two extremes. The glacier also created several sandy outwash deltas off the coast, including one off Bridgeport, Connecticut , and another off New Haven, Connecticut . Fishers Island, New York , appears to be related to

1210-660: A segment of the Clearview Expressway southward to 73rd Avenue in Fresh Meadows , as well as the Cross Bronx and Throgs Neck Expressways in the Bronx. The bridge's opening was attended by Robert Moses, as well as mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. , lieutenant governor Malcolm Wilson , City Council president Abe Stark , and Queens borough president John T. Clancy . The opening of the Throgs Neck Bridge had been accelerated in advance of

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1320-404: A type of goose. During the 1930s, the Long Island Sound was struck by an outbreak of a mold infection known as " eelgrass wasting disease ". As a result, most of the eelgrass that grew in the sound was killed off, and as an extension, populations of wildlife in the area that depended upon the eelgrass either as food or as a habitat went into a sharp decline. During the succeeding decades, areas along

1430-554: Is 15 feet 0 inches (4.57 m). Tractor-trailers exceeding 53 feet and traveling between Long Island and the Bronx are required to use the Throgs Neck Bridge. A weight limit is imposed on heavy vehicles traveling on the bridge. The MTA allows 6 and 7-axle trucks with less than 105,000 lb (48,000 kg) of gross vehicle weight, and 5-axle trucks with less than 102,000 lb (46,000 kg) of gross vehicle weight, if they have valid divisible-load permits. Trucks carrying less than 80,000 lb (36,000 kg) may also use

1540-522: Is 555 feet (169 m), with an anchorage-to-anchorage total length of 2,910 feet (887 m). The bridge contains two long approach ramps, one on either bank, because both the Bronx and Queens are located on low elevations. The bridge has a 3,900-foot (1,200 m) approach ramp in the Bronx, curving over the SUNY Maritime College at Fort Schuyler on the Throggs Neck peninsula, as well as

1650-481: Is a toll bridge ; it originally had tollbooths on the Bronx side, but they were replaced by open road tolling gantries in 2017. The Throgs Neck Bridge did not have to accommodate large vessels of specific dimensions and as a result, did not need to be as long as other Ammann-designed bridges in New York City. The center span is 1,800 feet (550 m), and the distance between each suspension tower and anchorage

1760-506: Is a shift in the types of plankton that make up their community in Long Island Sound. Over the last several decades, excess nitrogen may have adversely affected diatoms —microscopic, single-celled algae at the base of the food chain, which make shells ('frustules') of opaline silica. When diatoms are less productive, they are replaced by other phytoplankton such as dinoflagellates or blue-green algae , which grow well in waters with high nitrogen levels, but do not need silica . Such changes in

1870-470: Is dependent upon sunlight, and the water of the Long island Sound can be very murky. Eelgrass roots help stabilize muddy sediments and can trap moving sand, helping prevent erosion. The leaves, that can range in size from less than 1 m to 2 m long, slow currents, providing calm environments for many species of mollusks and other invertebrates. Eelgrass is also an important food source for waterfowl, especially brant ,

1980-537: Is inhabited by both marine fish and anadromous fish (oceanic or estuarine species that spawn in freshwater streams and rivers, see fish migration ). The most common marine fish in the Sound include porgy , butterfish, winter flounder , summer flounder , windowpane flounder , fourspot flounder , northern and striped sea robin , little skate , menhaden, Atlantic silversides, black seabass , blackfish (tautog), cunner , bluefish , and smooth dogfish . Frequently Atlantic bonito and false albacore , both members of

2090-674: Is licensing the brand to the Aldo Group for North American operations. Sperry's year-on-year sales for the quarter ending September 30th had fallen 41.4%. The sale to Authentic Brands Group generated proceeds of around $ 130 million. The Aldo Group plans to open 23 Sperry stores in the North American market. Sperry is the official footwear sponsor of the US Sailing Team Sperry, the US Junior Olympic Sailing Team and

2200-400: Is one of the few vascular plants found in the marine environment. Despite its name, it is actually not a species of underwater grass; instead, it is a plant that bears a physical resemblance to grass. It can tolerate a wide range of water salinity. It grows on muddy to sandy sediments (even among rocks), mostly below low tide, often forming large meadows. it grows best in shallow water because it

2310-673: Is owned by the government of New York City and operated by the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA), an affiliate agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The Throgs Neck Bridge is a six lane suspension bridge , with three in each direction. It was designed by structural engineer Othmar Ammann , who also designed the George Washington , Bronx–Whitestone , Verrazzano-Narrows , and Triborough Bridges in New York City. It connects

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2420-420: The 35th America's Cup and the official footwear supplier for Oracle Team USA . In 2016, Sperry also became the official footwear supplier of SoftBank Team Japan. Through their America's Cup partnership, Sperry announced that they would collaborate with athletes to create custom footwear to wear during the competition. Long Island Sound Long Island Sound is a marine sound and tidal estuary of

2530-788: The American toad , and the hognose snake (which feeds on Fowler's toads). There are six broad categories of bird habitats near Long Island Sound: (1) open water areas, including bays, coves, rivers and the Sound itself; (2) tidal marshes; (3) mudflats; (4) sandy beaches; (5) offshore islands; and (6) mainland uplands, including woodlands and fields. Some birds are summer residents or winter residents, while others are spring and fall transients. Year round residents include herring gull , great black-backed gull , common tern and double-crested cormorant . Coastal migrants (also called "transients") include shorebirds such as plovers , turnstones , sandpipers , willet and yellowlegs . Summer residents include

2640-551: The Atlantic Ocean , Long Island Sound is 21 mi (34 km) at its widest point and varies in depth from 65 to 230 feet (20 to 70 m). Major Connecticut cities on the Sound include Stamford , Norwalk , Bridgeport , New Haven , and New London . Cities on the New York side of the Sound include Rye , Glen Cove , New Rochelle , North Hempstead , Oyster Bay , Smithtown , Port Jefferson , Brookhaven and Riverhead , Larchmont , Mamaroneck and portions of Queens and

2750-616: The Atlantic Ocean . It lies predominantly between the U.S. state of Connecticut to the north and Long Island in New York to the south. From west to east, the sound stretches 110 mi (180 km) from the East River and the Throgs Neck Bridge in New York City, along the North Shore of Long Island, to Block Island Sound . A mix of freshwater from tributaries, and saltwater from

2860-533: The Atlantic oyster drill , the northern moon snail , Atlantic moon snail , the channeled and knobbed whelks . Crustaceans include crabs , shrimp and lobsters . In the Sound there are the green crab (a non-native species first reported in Boston around 1900, but a common crab found on the shore, where it feeds on eastern oysters and soft-shell clams ), blue crab , red crab , Jonah crab in deepwater areas, and

2970-540: The Atlantic rock crab , which settles in large numbers along rocky shores, especially around Millstone Point, Niantic Bay and Fishers Island Sound. Other crabs found include the lady crab , spider crabs , and fiddler crabs ; hermit crabs and mole crabs are also found. By the late 1980s, the Japanese shore crab , an invasive species, was the most commonly found crab in the sound. The sand shrimp Crangon septemspinosa and two species of grass shrimp are plentiful along

3080-663: The Bay Terrace section of Queens . Opened on January 11, 1961, it is the newest bridge across the East River and was built to relieve traffic on the Bronx–Whitestone Bridge , 2 miles (3.2 km) to the west. The Throgs Neck Bridge is also the easternmost crossing of the East River . Due to this and its proximity to I-95 , it is the closest route from Long Island to New Jersey via the George Washington Bridge , as well as points north. The Throgs Neck Bridge

3190-575: The Bronx in New York City . The climate of Long Island Sound is warm temperate or Cfa in the Köppen climate classification . Summers are hot and humid often with convective showers and strong sunshine, while the cooler months feature cold temperatures and a mix of rain and occasional snow. About 18,000 years ago, Connecticut, Long Island Sound, and much of Long Island were covered by a thick sheet of ice, part of

3300-472: The Cross Sound Ferry (between Orient Point and New London ). The ferries that cross Long Island Sound carry automobiles, trucks and buses, as well as foot passengers. Long Island Sound has historically had rich recreational and commercial fishing , including oysters , lobsters , scallops , blue crabs , tuna flounder , striped bass , and bluefish . However, in recent years the western part of

3410-579: The George Washington Bridge over the Hudson River . A groundbreaking ceremony for the Throgs Neck Bridge occurred at the SUNY Maritime College on October 22, 1957. At the time, the approach roads alone were expected to cost $ 51   million, nearly half of the total bridge cost. It was expected that the bridge would be complete by 1961. A month later, six construction contracts worth $ 42.5   million were awarded, representing nearly half of

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3520-529: The Harbor Hill Moraine along most of northern Long Island . The next moraines ( recessional moraines ) to the north were created just on and off the Connecticut coast. These moraines, created by much smaller deposits (probably from equilibrium states that were much shorter in time) are discontinuous and much smaller than those to the south. The Connecticut coast moraines are in two groups: the Norwalk area and

3630-625: The Holland Tunnel . Ultimately, nearly all sections of I-78 between the Holland Tunnel and Hillside Avenue were canceled by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1971. This resulted in the renumbering of all of I-78 north of Hillside Avenue, including the Throgs Neck Bridge, to I-295 on January 1, 1970. The Throgs Neck Bridge's deck was renovated in 1983. That July, the MTA initially signed a contract to use steel imported from Japan and South Korea, around

3740-577: The Madison - Old Saybrook area. Sandy plains and beaches resulted from the erosion of moraines and redeposition in these areas, and to the east of each, where the drift cover is thinnest, exposed bedrock , creating rocky headlands, often with marshlands behind them. The Captain Islands off Greenwich, Connecticut , along with the Norwalk Islands and Falkner Island off Guilford, Connecticut , are parts of

3850-955: The Throgs Neck Bridge in the early 1960s. The Long Island Sound ecosystem has historically been polluted by a number of different sources, including industry , agriculture and communities (untreated sewage and urban runoff ). Pollutants entering the Sound include toxic substances such as heavy metals ; a specific example includes mercury discharged by the hatting industry in Danbury, Connecticut . Other pollutants include pathogens , debris, and nutrients (which contain nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer runoff). Eutrophication occurs when bodies of water, like Long Island Sound, are exposed to higher levels of nutrients like nitrogen, causing harmful overgrowth of cyanobacteria that feed on them. Eutrophication can also lead to algal blooms and eventually hypoxia , when runoff into water causes rapid development of algae and phytoplankton that blocks

3960-487: The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA), which built the bridge—likely chose the variant with one "g" because it was easier to spell. Plans for a bridge between Throggs Neck and Queens date to a 1932 study by engineer J. Franklin Perrine. However, he discarded the proposed Throggs Neck-to-Queens span because it would have required the construction of new highways at either end. The Throgs Neck Bridge's construction

4070-399: The northern yellow periwinkle , the blue mussel (a popular, edible species), the eastern oyster , the Atlantic slipper shell or "common slippershell" ( Crepidula fornicata ), the hard clam (also known as the quahog, little neck clam or cherrystone clam), the Atlantic bay scallop , the mud snail (also known as the eastern mud nassa ), the salt marsh snail (or " coffee bean snail "),

4180-420: The osprey , seaside sparrow , saltmarsh sparrow , clapper rail , mallard and black duck , herons and egrets , including the black-crowned night heron and snowy egret as well as the least tern and piping plover . Upland species include the yellow warbler , red-eyed vireo , red-winged blackbird and Carolina wren . Winter residents include large flocks of ducks , geese , and swans winter in

4290-399: The pannes are sea lavender , salt marsh aster , seaside gerardia , and some species of glasswort . Plants found near the border of the marsh with the upland include bayberry and groundsel-tree shrubs, switchgrass (growing where occasional storm tides reach), reeds and marsh elder . In areas where the Sound's salt water is more diluted with freshwater from rivers, including along

4400-474: The Atlantic Coast, tagged individuals sometime being identified in multiple rivers during their lifetimes. Long Island Sound was formed when the terminal moraine that dammed the waters of glacial Lake Connecticut failed, and sea water mixed with the lake's fresh waters. Prior to colonization, it's estimated that around 10,000 to 15,000 natives inhabited along Long Island Sound. The first European to record

4510-468: The Bronx suspension tower was fully completed, and the Queens tower was 60% completed. However, a steelworkers' strike in October 1959 threatened to delay further completion. By January 1960, both towers of the Throgs Neck Bridge had been completed, and the first 1,800 feet (550 m) wire between the two suspension towers had been installed. This cable marked the location of the future bridge deck, but in

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4620-488: The Connecticut coast saw a slow gradual recovery of eelgrass populations. Unfortunately, the north shore of Long Island did not see much success, and efforts have been made to re-introduce eelgrass by planting it, especially in the eastern part of the Long Island Sound in the waters of Suffolk County. It is unlikely that the Long Island Sound will experience a complete recovery of its eelgrass population because there are still occasional outbreaks of eelgrass wasting disease within

4730-424: The Connecticut shore is the northern limit. Mature upland vegetation along the Connecticut coast is mostly hardwood forest, with dominant tree species including oaks and hickories, especially white oak , black oak , pignut hickory and mockernut hickory . Other trees include sassafras , black gum , and black cherry . Mature trees tend to be sparse in coastal forests, likely because of their greater exposure to

4840-533: The Cross Island Parkway service roads in either direction. On the Bronx side, there are connections to and from the community of Throggs Neck. The northbound entrance and exit leads to the Throgs Neck Expressway service road, while the southbound exit and entrance leads from the intersection of the Throgs Neck Expressway service road and Harding Avenue. Immediately afterward, the highway splits into

4950-622: The E-ZPass lanes from the Harding Avenue entrance to the bridge, as the E-ZPass lanes were located toward the center of the tollbooth, while the bridge entrance was on the far-right side. Open-road cashless tolling began on September 30, 2017. The tollbooths, which were at the Bronx end of the bridge, have been gradually dismantled, and drivers are no longer able to pay cash at the bridge. Instead, cameras and E-ZPass readers are mounted on new overhead gantries manufactured by TransCore near where

5060-582: The Harbor Hill Moraine. To the east of the Thimble Islands, inland moraines along the Connecticut coast include the broken Madison Moraine and the Old Saybrook Moraine. The Long Island Sound basin existed before the glaciers came. It probably had been formed by stream flows. A relatively thick cover of sand and gravel (termed outwash ) was left in the basin from glacial meltwater streams. On

5170-508: The Late Wisconsin Glacier . About 3,300 feet (1,000 m) thick in its interior and about 1,300 to 1,600 feet (400 to 500 m) thick along its southern edge, it was the most recent of a series of glaciations that covered the area during the past 10 million years. Sea level at that time was about 330 feet (100 m) lower than today. The continental ice sheet scraped off an average of 65 feet (20 m) of surface material from

5280-567: The Long Island Sound Study (LISS) in 1985 with plans for restoration and clean-up projects in the region. More habitat conservation, health monitoring, and pollution standards have been established between NY and CT in the years since to protect the estuary for future generations. Ferries provide service between Long Island and Connecticut, notably the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry (between Port Jefferson and Bridgeport ), and

5390-611: The New England landscape, then deposited the material (known as drift ) from the Connecticut coast into the Sound, creating what is now Long Island (the terminal moraine ). When the ice sheet stopped advancing 18,000 years ago (as addition of snow at the origin was in equilibrium with the melting at the southern edge), a large amount of drift was deposited, known as the Ronkonkoma Moraine, which stretches along much of southern Long Island. Later, another period of equilibrium resulted in

5500-566: The New York E‑ZPass Customer Service Center pay $ 6.94 per car or $ 3.02 per motorcycle. Mid-Tier NYCSC E-Z Pass users pay $ 8.36 per car or $ 3.57 per motorcycle. All E-ZPass users with transponders not issued by the New York E-ZPass CSC will be required to pay Toll-by-mail rates. Originally, the toll plaza of the Throgs Neck Bridge, located on the Bronx side, contained 14 toll lanes. By 1996, the year that E-ZPass

5610-416: The New York state government some land for the bridge's construction. The SUNY Maritime College would receive 7 acres (2.8 ha) of land in exchange for an easement to allow the bridge to be constructed over the college. TBTA chairman Moses commissioned Othmar Ammann for the construction of the Throgs Neck Bridge. This was Ammann's first long-span bridge project since 1931, which saw the dedication of

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5720-554: The New York state legislature suddenly changed the approach route for the Throgs Neck and Narrows Bridges without the city's knowledge. The city then decided to defer any decision on either bridge for a year because both bridges' approaches would require potentially controversial home relocations. One plan had the Throgs Neck Bridge approach in Queens connect directly to a road paralleling the Cross Island Parkway , rather than to

5830-588: The Queens approach of the Throgs Neck Bridge. From the Queens anchorage, the approach would descend to a point east of the Clearview Golf Course, approximately between 206th and 207th Streets, and continue south as the Clearview Expressway. This routing would displace 421 homes, compared to 860 in the original plan. Shortly after the arterial plan was approved, drivers on the Triborough and Bronx–Whitestone Bridges were surveyed in order to assess demand for

5940-424: The Sound in the twentieth century were the 1938 hurricane, the 1955 hurricane, Hurricane Belle in 1976, Hurricane Gloria in 1985, Hurricane Irene in 2011, and Hurricane Sandy in 2012. After Hurricane Belle, leaves near the coast were badly salt-burned, then turned brown and shriveled. Many trees were downed by the storm, leaving openings in the forest cover, promoting the growth of vines and shrubs. The Sound

6050-644: The Sound include the eastern spadefoot , a rare, toadlike amphibian that hasn't been recorded in the area since 1935. Its overall coloring is beige or off-white with a pattern of green markings. Small orange dots punctuate this pattern. As many as 1,500 shortnose sturgeon , listed as 'endangered' by the Endangered Species Act, inhabit the Connecticut River. Approximately 900 of those live downstream of Holyoke Dam. While shortnose sturgeon primarily remain in their natal rivers, they will feed in estuarine waters like Long Island Sound and make extended trips along

6160-752: The Sound occur in greatest abundance in rocky areas between high tide and low tide as well as on rocks on the sea floor. Green seaweed populations fluctuate with the seasons. Monostroma , reproduces in the early spring and dies out by late summer. Grinnellia appears in August and disappears four to six weeks later. In the rocky areas of the intertidal zone there are the seaweeds characterized by their brown tone, Fucus and Ascophyllum , some species of which have air bladders that allow them to float and receive direct sunlight even at high tide. Also present are Ectocarpus and red algas Polysiphonia , Neosiphonia , Porphyra and Chondrus ( Irish moss ). In

6270-449: The Sound, e.g. blue shark, mako shark, hammerhead shark and thresher shark, there are only four species of sharks which are regularly found in the area. These are the sand tiger shark , the sandbar shark , the spiny dogfish and the smooth dogfish . Mollusks ( gastropods and bivalves ) that can be found include the rough periwinkle near the high-tide line, the European periwinkle ,

6380-633: The Sound. Few undisturbed beach and dune systems exist on the Connecticut shore, the ones that do are located along the eastern portion of the coastline (east of the Connecticut River). Sea rocket and dune grass occur here, but not in abundance. Dune grass and plants that thrive on dunes are largely responsible for the creation and growth of the dunes. On the seaward side of dunes can be found Lathyrus japonicus (beach pea), Dusty Miller , and seaside goldenrod . Other beach plants are orache , beach clotbur , seaside spurge , and jimson weed . On

6490-713: The Sound. In West Haven, Connecticut 8,000 scaup (also called broadbills or bluebills) were regularly counted in the 1970s. Greater scaup , black ducks , mallards , and Canada geese are among the most abundant wintering birds. There are also significant populations of red-breasted mergansers , common goldeneyes , buffleheads , white-winged scoter , American wigeon (also sometimes called baldpate), long-tailed ducks and mute swans . Others (less abundant) include gadwalls , northern pintails , green-winged teal , northern shovelers (also sometimes called broadbill), ruddy ducks , redheads , ring-necked ducks , snow geese , and brant . Rare, endangered and extinct species of

6600-524: The Throgs Neck Bridge increased to $ 126   million. The city approved the construction of the bridge that July. A final obstacle was removed in August, when the United States Senate passed a bill stating that the construction of the proposed bridge over the SUNY Maritime College at Fort Schuyler was not a breach of a prior land conveyance , and authorized the United States Army to give

6710-458: The Throgs Neck Bridge were shipped up the East River that summer. The 73-short-ton (65-long-ton; 66-metric-ton) steel assembly for the first of the two suspension towers were installed in April 1959. Afterward, the suspension towers were installed in pieces. Each piece measured 23.5 feet (7.2 m) tall by 11 by 9 feet (3.4 by 2.7 m) around. Work on the towers proceeded quickly; by September 1959,

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6820-478: The Throgs Neck Bridge. However, by February 1956, the funding for the Throgs Neck Bridge had not yet been acquired. In January 1957, the Port Authority provided $ 13   million in funding for the New York City arterial plan, and the New York state government gave another $ 469   million. With funding secured, the Throgs Neck Bridge was ready for the start of construction. Then, at the end of March 1957,

6930-501: The Throgs Neck Expressway ( I-695 ), which connects to northbound I-95 ; and I-295, which connects to southbound I-95, westbound I-278 , and northbound Hutchinson River Parkway at the Bruckner Interchange . As of 2015 , the Throgs Neck Bridge has a height limit of 14 feet 7 inches (4.45 m) for southbound vehicles and 15 feet 1 inch (4.60 m) for northbound vehicles. The maximum width of any vehicle

7040-577: The US Paralympics Sailing Team. In 1987, Sperry Top-Sider served as the official sponsor of the America's Cup World Series . Sperry shoes were worn by champion sailor Dennis Conner during the race. Sperry served as the footwear sponsor for the America's Cup sailing tournament for several years, but later began to sponsor other sailing events. In 2015, Sperry became the official footwear partner of

7150-756: The area. Specifically 25–35% of the tidal wetlands in the Sound have been dredged, filled, and developed over and hypoxia and eutrophication resulting from pollution have led to low dissolved oxygen levels (less than 4.8 mg of oxygen per liter) in the water. The low dissolved oxygen levels limit the fishes' ability to swim, feed, grow and reproduce and loss of habitat prevents success in fish larval growth. The impacts listed here are directly associated with these specific species in Long Island Sound: killifishes, silversides, bay anchovy, eels, menhaden, cunner, tautog, sticklebacks, winter flounder, weakfish, bluefish, tomcod and striped bass. An example of impacts from nitrogen

7260-414: The base of the food chain leads to consequences such as an increase in abundance of jellyfish and decline in shellfish and other fish. Throgs Neck Bridge The Throgs Neck Bridge is a suspension bridge in New York City , carrying six lanes of Interstate 295 (I-295) over the East River where it meets the Long Island Sound . The bridge connects the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx with

7370-449: The booths were located. A vehicle without E-ZPass has a picture taken of its license plate and a bill for the toll is mailed to its owner. For E-ZPass users, sensors detect their transponders wirelessly. A truck with faulty brakes ran into the bridge's toll booths on May 31, 1995. The next day, the same truck ran into the tollbooths again. Only the driver was injured. On July 10, 2009, during early-morning maintenance work to replace

7480-457: The boroughs of Queens to the south and the Bronx to the north, and is the third vehicular bridge to be constructed between Queens and the Bronx, after the Triborough and Bronx–Whitestone Bridges. Each three-lane roadway is 37 feet (11 m) wide, and the two directions of traffic are divided by a 4-foot-wide (1.2 m) barrier. The roadway is paved with asphalt. There is no pedestrian or bicyclist access of any kind. The Throgs Neck Bridge

7590-432: The bridge are of closed-box construction with arched struts at the top of each tower. The tops of the suspension towers are sharp and blocky atop the struts, and there are flattened segmental arches on the underside of the struts. Both suspension towers are located on artificial concrete islands in the East River, which are 20 feet (6.1 m) above mean high water. Each suspension tower rises 326 feet (99 m) above

7700-528: The bridge was built along with the Clearview Expressway in Queens and the eastern part of the Cross Bronx Expressway in the Bronx. The Throgs Neck Bridge carries Interstate 295 (I-295). On the Queens side, the bridge connects to the southbound Clearview Expressway (I-295) and the southbound Cross Island Parkway . There is no direct connection to the northbound Cross Island Parkway or from

7810-412: The bridge with a special permit. As of 2018 , heavy trucks carrying less than 40 short tons (36 long tons; 36 metric tons), as well as selected heavy trucks carrying more than 40   tons with permits, may use the Throgs Neck Bridge; all other trucks are restricted. In 2019, the MTA announced that it would replace the concrete deck with a steel deck as part of a $ 336 million project. Work on replacing

7920-437: The bridge, but all heavy loads are speed-restricted to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) and must use the center lane of the bridge. Heavy trucks carrying more than 80,000 lb without permits are prohibited from using the Throgs Neck Bridge. The name of "Throgs Neck" in the bridge's name derives from John Throckmorton , who first settled Throggs Neck. The traditionally correct spelling is with two "g"s. Robert Moses —chairman of

8030-410: The bridge, holding signs and attempting to block the first vehicles driving on the bridge. It was expected that the Throgs Neck Bridge's opening would initially cause 15   million vehicles annually to be diverted to the span from other bridges, and by 1981, the bridge would carry 37.5   million vehicles annually. Within the first twelve hours of the bridge's opening, 20,000 vehicles had used

8140-520: The bridge. The Throgs Neck Bridge had carried 16.4   million vehicles by the end of the year, and the Bronx–Whitestone Bridge recorded a corresponding 40% decline in traffic in 1961. The Throgs Neck Bridge was originally designated as part of I-78 , which extended south to Hillside Avenue ( NY 25 ), the southern terminus of the Clearview Expressway. I-78 was to continue south and west across Queens, Brooklyn , and Manhattan to

8250-399: The city. The Throgs Neck Bridge was to cost $ 93   million. The span was needed because of increasing congestion on the Bronx–Whitestone Bridge 2 miles (3.2 km) west, which was nearing its traffic capacity by the late 1950s. Traffic loads on the Triborough and Bronx–Whitestone Bridges had more than doubled on both bridges after World War II . The city and Port Authority came to

8360-447: The coastal area (and elsewhere), including the diamondback terrapin in salt marshes and brackish waters (and deposits and hatches its eggs on nearby sandy beaches). Terrapin meat became such a popular delicacy in the early 1900s that the price for a dozen adult females reached as high as US$ 120. Overhunting made the species uncommon and even rare through most of the Sound and eliminated at some places. After its popularity as food declined,

8470-537: The company as part of the footwear company's new brand campaign. Since 2021, Sperry has opened 2 specialty stores and 40 outlet stores across the United States. In May 2023, Wolverine World Wide announced the search for "strategic alternatives" for the Sperry brand, as part of a broader move to focus on growth sectors. In January 2024, Wolverine World Wide announced the sale of Sperry to Authentic Brands Group who in turn

8580-512: The deck began in September 2020. Five of the bridge's six lanes remained open for the duration of the project. The MTA installed a movable barrier , providing three lanes in the peak direction during weekday rush hours (toward the Bronx in the morning and toward Queens in the afternoon). As of August 6, 2023 , drivers pay $ 11.19 per car or $ 4.71 per motorcycle for tolls by mail/non-NYCSC E-Z Pass. E-ZPass users with transponders issued by

8690-465: The deck. These served as counterweights to the bridge and allowed any wind to simply blow through, instead of against, the bridge. The asphalt roadway lies atop a 5-inch-thick (13 cm) deck, which consists of dozens of panels that lie directly above the trusses. The Throgs Neck Bridge was one of the few that were not part of the plans for the Belt Parkway around Queens and Brooklyn. Instead,

8800-774: The economic and population growth the Industrial Revolution created led to increased pollution. Around the 1950s and 60s, the US Government began to recognize more of the environmental impacts pollution was having on water quality, as well as human health around regions like Long Island Sound. After the Clean Water Act was passed federally in 1972 to protect water quality around the US, the Environmental Protection Agency partnered with Connecticut and New York to pass

8910-663: The existence of Long Island Sound was the Dutch navigator Adriaen Block , who entered the sound from the East River in 1614. The sound was known as The Devil's Belt in colonial times and the reefs that run across the sound were known as Devil's Stepping Stones, from which Stepping Stones Lighthouse got its name. As the Industrial Revolution grew, Long Island Sound began to be utilized more for manufacturing and production uses that are still observed to this day, like textiles, metal finishing, fishing, and oyster harvesting. Yet,

9020-700: The familiar Sperry "boat shoe". Sperry's shoes remained a niche product for boaters until 1939 when the US Navy negotiated the right to manufacture the shoe for its sailors at the United States Naval Academy . As a result of this increased production, Sperry sold the brand to the US Rubber Co. in 1940. In 1979 the Stride Rite Corporation purchased both Sperry and Keds from US Rubber. In 2007, Payless ShoeSource acquired Sperry Top-Sider as part of

9130-457: The interim, it would be one of six wires that would support temporary catwalks between the suspension towers. The spinning of the main cables between the tops of each suspension tower began in March. The wires for the cables were spun from reels near the base of the bridge, and then pulled across to the opposite side by two wheels, one at each bridge tower. The cables were fully spun by June 1960, and

9240-462: The islands, or 346 feet (105 m) above mean high water. Peregrine falcons have lived high on a suspension tower since at least 1983, when they were first spotted. They are thought to have nested there because the tops of the towers resembled their natural habitat of high cliffs. Instead of employing a rather streamlined-looking plate-girder system, Ammann constructed the bridge with 28-foot-deep (8.5 m) stiffening transverse trusses under

9350-753: The marshy areas of the intertidal zone can be found Cladophora ( mermaid's hair ), Ulva ( sea lettuce ) and Codium . In the subtidal zone (below low tide) are Palmaria palmata a red alga, along with two algae, Laminaria ( kelp ) and Chorda . Kelp can often be found washed up on the beach, and individual specimens are not uncommonly a yard or two long. Deeper in the subtidal zone are red algae such as Spermothamnion , Antithamnion and Callithamnion , which also often float freely. In tidal pools can be found red or pink colored Phymatolithon , which can often encrust rocks and mollusk shells. Also present are green algae, including Ulothrix , Cladophora , and Ulva . Tidal marshes are some of

9460-409: The more protected landward side of dunes are beach plum , bayberry and beach rose . Rare species found on the landward side are beach knotweed and sand false heather . In areas next to the shoreline but hardly ever salty, the sound's environment can nevertheless be a crucial factor in the presence of certain species. Areas near the Connecticut shore are the northern limit for some species needing

9570-429: The most productive biological systems in the world. Along the sound, they produce three to seven tons per acre per year of vegetation, largely in the form of salt marsh grasses. Much of this, enriched by decomposition, is flushed yearly into the estuary water where it directly contributes to the great finfish and shellfish production of the sound. Salt water cordgrass ( Spartina alterniflora ) grows along ditches and on

9680-462: The proposed Clearview Expressway. TBTA officials warned that the Throgs Neck Bridge could not be approved for construction until an approach route was finalized. The revised approach routes for both the Narrows and the Throgs Neck bridges were approved that June, which allowed construction on both crossings to begin. As a result of the revisions to the Clearview Expressway approach, the cost estimate for

9790-414: The salt marshes of western Connecticut. Rodents include the white-footed mouse , the meadow vole (probably the most abundant coastal mammal) and the meadow jumping mouse . Muskrats are heavily trapped but remain abundant. Raccoons and red foxes who live in areas near the marshes will hunt in them. The long-tailed weasel and short-tailed weasel are both found near the Sound, occasionally living in

9900-479: The salt marshes. Dolphins are occasionally spotted in Long Island Sound, along with Harbor seals and gray seals that can be found among the rocks off Stonington and Groton at the eastern end. Long-finned pilot whales and harbor porpoises can also be infrequently sighted in open water, a few miles off the coast. In 1975, a finback whale beached itself in Groton. Animals that need moist woodlands are found in

10010-433: The same time that Governor Mario Cuomo signed a "Buy American" law giving preference to American steel. The contract was controversial because, although importing Asian steel would have been $ 3.5   million cheaper than buying American steel, it would have also disadvantaged American workers. Subsequently, Cuomo tried to get the MTA to reverse its decision. In September 1983, Cuomo signed an executive order mandating

10120-456: The seaside edges of marshes where high tides daily inundate it. Salt meadow cordgrass ( Spartina patens ) and spikegrass ( Distichlis spicata ) grow in areas less frequently inundated by saltwater, typically closer to dry land. A short form of salt water cordgrass can sometimes be found in the depressions ( pannes ) in the higher areas where salt water collects and evaporates, leaving water even higher in salinity than seawater. Other plants in

10230-463: The shore, especially in late summer and fall. The American lobster is fished commercially. Most animal species on the Connecticut side of the Sound also occur inland, but some are much more abundant along the shore. Animals along the Sound are most concentrated in the salt marshes. Two species of shrews , the masked shrew and the American short-tailed shrew , are common in salt marshes. The least shrew has been thought to exist in small numbers in

10340-629: The shores of the larger river estuaries such as the Connecticut River , cattail marshes replace salt marshes. Various types of grasses, including wild rice , and sedges , including bulrushes , are found here. Eelgrass - sometimes known as "Saltwater Eelgrass" in order to distinguish it from Freshwater Eelgrass, which is a different species ( Vallisneria americana ) - is typically found in protected bays, coves, and other areas of brackish water, but it also persists along areas of exposed shoreline along Long Island's north shore near Orient. Eelgrass

10450-418: The sound has become increasingly deficient of marine life . The fishing and lobster industries have encouraged efforts to identify the cause of the dead water and rectify the problem. Lobsters have suffered diseases of unknown cause, but recreational fishing improved dramatically in the last 10 years due, in large part, to restoring a key component in the food chain, menhaden (a.k.a. "bunker") fish which are

10560-427: The span's cost. The contract for the suspension towers' metal was awarded to Bethlehem Steel at a cost of $ 10.2   million, and the contract for the towers' concrete went to Merrit, Chapman and Scott for $ 7.5   million. The suspension cables would then be built by U.S. Steel for $ 6.3   million. Work on the Queens anchorage began in March 1958. The 162-by-72-foot (49 by 22 m) steel caissons for

10670-416: The start of the 1964 New York World's Fair at nearby Flushing Meadows–Corona Park . Immediately after the bridge's opening ceremony, the delegation attended the opening of a World's Fair attraction at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. The bridge's opening drew protests from homeowners in Queens who had been forced to relocate due to the construction of the Clearview Expressway. Several dozen women walked across

10780-645: The surface of water from sunlight and deprives oxygen to marine organisms. Eutrophication and its effects are direct environmental impacts on the Sound that are exacerbated by higher temperatures, stratified water columns (when the water is not well mixed vertically) and excess nutrients. The primary target for water remediation tactics in Long Island Sound have been nutrients discharged by sewage treatment plants and in surface runoff . Long Island Sound sustains significant populations of fish and nurseries. This biological function has been threatened by both terrestrial and chemical alterations resulting from urbanization of

10890-402: The suspension span are two anchorages that hold the main cables, both of which are freestanding concrete structures measuring 250 by 350 feet (76 by 107 m). The bridge's Bronx anchorage is at the tip of Throggs Neck, and the towers are located in the middle of the Long Island Sound. The Queens anchorage is located off the shore of Fort Totten , in the East River. The suspension towers of

11000-444: The suspension span in September 1960. The final work on the bridge consisted of sheathing the main cables, as well as paving the roadway with asphalt. By December 1960, tollbooths for the bridge were being installed, and a definite opening date had been set for the next month. The Throgs Neck Bridge opened with a short ceremony on January 11, 1961; its total construction cost had been $ 92   million. The bridge opened along with

11110-660: The terrapin population started recovering. Sea turtles occasionally travel north on the Gulf Stream and wander into the Sound. The loggerhead turtle , green turtle and leatherback turtle are rarely seen along the Connecticut shore. Other reptiles and amphibians found along the edges of the salt marshes and nearby bodies of water include the green frog , bullfrog , pickerel frog , spotted turtle , painted turtle , northern water snake , and common snapping turtle . On beaches and sandy areas there are Fowler's toads (which are also found inland but find sandy areas preferable),

11220-484: The tuna family, enter the sound and can be caught by anglers from small boats and shore. Many species have declined rapidly since 1975 due to over fishing. Winter flounder may not be currently present except for rare, small local populations. Tautog and summer flounder are also less numerous. Anadromous fishes include striped bass , white perch , alewives, blueback herring, and American and hickory shad . Although several shark species likely infrequently wander in and out of

11330-508: The use of American steel, and the MTA narrowly voted to reverse its prior decision. The construction of the Throgs Neck Bridge's Queens approaches bisected Clearview Park (renamed Little Bay Park in 1973), which had been established by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation in 1950. The park's athletic fields received a $ 666,000 refurbishment in 1998, and a bicycle path and roller hockey rink were installed in 1999 at

11440-404: The vertical suspender cables connecting the main cables with the deck were installed. The steel girder sections that comprised the bridge deck were prefabricated at another location and then shipped to the site of the Throgs Neck Bridge. Each section measured 82 by 93 feet (25 by 28 m) and weighed 200 short tons (180 long tons; 180 metric tons). The sections were installed on the bridge at

11550-403: The warmer environment provided by proximity to the Sound (which has a longer growing season than inland Connecticut and winters that are less harsh). These include sweetgum (only found in Connecticut in the extreme southwestern area of the state), the American holly , post oak and persimmon , which only exist in Connecticut along the shore. For many species which grow typically in sandy soils,

11660-475: The west, a ridge rising to about 65 feet (20 m) below the present sea level is called the Mattatuck Sill. Its lowest point is about 80 feet (24 m) below sea level. Glacial meltwater formed " Lake Connecticut ", a freshwater lake in the basin, until about 8,000 years ago, when the sea level rose to about 80 feet (24 m) below today's level. Seawater then overflowed into the basin, transforming it from

11770-410: The wind. This results in more sunlight reaching the forest floor, encouraging a jungle-like tangle of vines and shrubs, including the vines catbriar , poison ivy , bramble and bittersweet , and the shrubs blueberry , huckleberry , viburnum and hazelnut . Along with the moderate climate, tropical cyclones can have an important impact on observable vegetation patterns. The greatest storms to hit

11880-505: The years, bridges over the sound have been proposed, including a bridge between Rye in Westchester County and Oyster Bay on Long Island; between New Haven, Connecticut , and Shoreham on Long Island; between Bridgeport, Connecticut , and Port Jefferson on Long Island; or between Orient Point, New York , and Rhode Island . A tunnel under the sound, as between Rye and Oyster Bay has also been proposed, to carry both freeway lanes and railroads. However, no crossing has been built since

11990-730: Was announced in January 1955, by the Port Authority and the TBTA as part of the Port Authority's Joint Study of Arterial Facilities, a $ 600   million plan to improve highway access in the New York City area (equal to $ 6.12 billion in 2023 ). The plan also included the construction of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, the addition of a second deck to the George Washington Bridge, and the completion of connecting highways in and around

12100-429: Was introduced, it had been expanded to 20 lanes. The initial rollout of E-ZPass at the Throgs Neck Bridge caused large delays, as some of the toll lanes were dedicated exclusively to E-ZPass users, unlike at other MTA crossings that did not have dedicated E-ZPass lanes. In February 1998, the MTA discontinued the sale of toll tokens on the Throgs Neck Bridge. Throggs Neck residents stated that they could not easily access

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