Top 10 Greatest Bridges in NYC — #5

Pine Bank Bridge

Of the seven cast iron bridges that were originally built in Central Park, Pine Bank Arch (as it is officially named) is one of the five that remain. Built in 1861, when cast iron was still reasonably new as a building material, Pine Bank is wrought into a beautifully lacy span over the bridle path, where a lucky pedestrian may yet see riders on horseback enjoying the park in the manner its designers had once intended. The idea of having the different types of traffic in the park cross each other via this elegant network of bridges and archways – keeping disruptive intersections to a minimum – was a major component in the decision to give Vaux & Olmsted the commission to design the park.

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