SI1980 Posted April 4, 2013 Share #1 Posted April 4, 2013 Below, are two vintage photographs of the newly constructed (then in 1965) Gowanus Expressway (I-278) in Brooklyn, New York. The roads were not as congested as they are today. Boy, have times changed. At Ft. Hamilton Pkwy. 1965. Note that most, if not all, of these overpasses did have not additional fences on the original guardrails. On the Gowanus viaduct. 1965. Vintage gantry and signage. Lower Manhattan is in the background. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacemak3r Posted April 4, 2013 Share #2 Posted April 4, 2013 Honestly seeing the Gowanus overpass without construction is like a total first for me of my 24 years of existence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realizm Posted April 4, 2013 Share #3 Posted April 4, 2013 Honestly seeing the Gowanus overpass without construction is like a total first for me of my 24 years of existence. Shocker isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI1980 Posted April 4, 2013 Author Share #4 Posted April 4, 2013 Everything was fairly new at this time. In my time, I recall the widening of the elevated portion of the expressway, not to mention the extension to Bay Ridge and the newly completed Verrazano Narrows Bridge. My parents and I used to visit relatives in Brooklyn sometimes, and I used to see the workers on the segment. As I look at the second photograph of the viaduct, it seems that it was only yesterday I drove on that viaduct. Brings back some memories, you know. I was in my early 20s in the late 1960s, and my father gave me his '59 Buick LeSabre, and I used to drive in it on that viaduct countless times when I used to work in the city. I remember the engine overheated in 1971 when I crossed the viaduct. I barely made it to the Hamilton Avenue exit ramp before it smoked like a chimney. Memories, memories... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI1980 Posted April 5, 2013 Author Share #5 Posted April 5, 2013 Here are some other vintage photographs of interstate 278 in Brooklyn. Below, are two photographs of the original Gowanus viaduct under construction. From 1941. The next three are from 1965 and 1966 respectively. On the Brooklyn side of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. At the split of the Shore (then) Pkwy. and Gowanus Expwy. Gowanus Expwy. at the exit ramp for Third Avenue. At exit 28B in downtown Brooklyn. Vintage street lamps and signage here. I remember these well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacemak3r Posted April 5, 2013 Share #6 Posted April 5, 2013 Awesome pics man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realizm Posted April 5, 2013 Share #7 Posted April 5, 2013 Totally, this thread kicks ass that's all there is to it. Excellent quality vintage pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI1980 Posted April 5, 2013 Author Share #8 Posted April 5, 2013 I have three additional photographs of the highway from Brooklyn. These are from 1965. This is my last set I have. On the elevated portion of the Gowanus Expwy. At 34th Street. Gowanus Expwy. at the Prospect Expwy. Brooklyn-Queens Expressway near Woodhull Street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRG Posted April 6, 2013 Share #9 Posted April 6, 2013 Wow, the Gowanus looks so different back then. The hell happened to it now?! Excellent pics by the way ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realizm Posted April 6, 2013 Share #10 Posted April 6, 2013 Wow, the Gowanus looks so different back then. The hell happened to it now?! Excellent pics by the way ! Heavy traffic, harsh weather and deferred maintenance (the fiscal crisis in the 70's) over the years have taken it's toll on the Gowanus Expressway. My understanding is that there were several proposals in the 90's to actually build a new vehicular tunnel to replace the Gowanus expressway, with civil engineers who were assessing the condition of the highway, citing that the highway may be beyond repair at this point, much like the current Tappan Zee Bridge situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N6 Limited Posted April 9, 2013 Share #11 Posted April 9, 2013 Back when they were building that viaduct it was the "Gowanus Parkway". It was converted to an Expressway with the building of the Verrazano. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo19 Posted April 10, 2013 Share #12 Posted April 10, 2013 Thanks for sharing SI1980. This is a very good set of pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realizm Posted April 10, 2013 Share #13 Posted April 10, 2013 Indeed this is a great thread. Was dry on reps until today. +1 to SI1980. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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