Rip Van Winkle Bridge Celebrates it's 75th Birthday

On July 2, 1935 the Rip Van Winkle Bridge opened to traffic and connected Catskill, NY and Hudson, NY. The 13-span cantilever bridge over the Hudson River is 5,040 feet long and 145 feet above the river. At the time passenger cars were charged $.80 plus $.10 per passenger, maximum of $1.00. Pedestrians and bicycles also had to pay.

According to the New York State Department of Transportation, about 15,000 vehicles cross the Rip Van Winkle Bridge each day.
The cost of the original bridge was $2,400,000.