What do the most important US-Canada crossing, Brooklyn Bridge, and Golden Gate have in common? Deep involvement of the private sector—which might be useful for the next generation of infrastructure.
"The bridge is owned by NYC today. I have not researched the fate of §7 above or whether it would preclude the introduction of tolls (currently, there are no tolls)."
Not sure if you meant "how the bridge passed into public ownership," but if you did, I like "The New York and Brooklyn Bridge" from 1883, by Alfred Barnes. It's a short retrospective on the bridge written right as it was completed.
"It was not until 1875 that Mr. Kingsley, on behalf of Brooklyn, and Mr. John Kelly, on behalf of New York, went to Albany as commissioners to solicit legislation granting an additional eight millions. By this time every one realized that a work so important and promising must not be allowed to lag for want of funds. The law was readily passed, and the cities voted the money in the same proportion as before—two-thirds of the amount from Brooklyn, and one-third from New York. At the same time, and in the same manner, the cities assumed the stock of the private stockholders ($500,000), that the bridge might remain an absolutely public work forever." (link to this excerpt: https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_New_York_and_Brooklyn_Bridge/EpsOAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover&bsq=It%20was%20not%20until%201875)
"The bridge is owned by NYC today. I have not researched the fate of §7 above or whether it would preclude the introduction of tolls (currently, there are no tolls)."
Not sure if you meant "how the bridge passed into public ownership," but if you did, I like "The New York and Brooklyn Bridge" from 1883, by Alfred Barnes. It's a short retrospective on the bridge written right as it was completed.
"It was not until 1875 that Mr. Kingsley, on behalf of Brooklyn, and Mr. John Kelly, on behalf of New York, went to Albany as commissioners to solicit legislation granting an additional eight millions. By this time every one realized that a work so important and promising must not be allowed to lag for want of funds. The law was readily passed, and the cities voted the money in the same proportion as before—two-thirds of the amount from Brooklyn, and one-third from New York. At the same time, and in the same manner, the cities assumed the stock of the private stockholders ($500,000), that the bridge might remain an absolutely public work forever." (link to this excerpt: https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_New_York_and_Brooklyn_Bridge/EpsOAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover&bsq=It%20was%20not%20until%201875)
Thanks! Still curious about section 7. I have another book about the bridge sitting in my office, will look at it after the break.