Harlem River Drive from the top. The pavement quality isn't even as good as on other NYC freeways because hardly anyone comes up this way. The bridges, in order, are the somewhat dirty Hamilton Bridge (I-95), the 1889 Washington Bridge, and the High Bridge. The High Bridge, namesake of the I-95 interchanges on both sides of the river, a Bronx neighborhood, and a Manhattan park, is actually officially known as the Aqueduct Bridge, because it had been part of the original Croton Aqueduct that supplied fresh water from the Croton River to New York City. (The tower in the last few photos is the High Bridge Water Tower, related to said aqueduct.) It is the oldest bridge in the city, dating to 1848, except the steel arch in the center was constructed in the 1920's (originally, the entire bridge had stone masonry arches, but those were deemed a navigation hazard). Since the aqueduct was bypassed in 1917, it has been a pedestrian bridge, but it closed in 1970 due to a mischievous rock thrower. It later reopened after extensive rehabilitation.


Stone wall that probably dates to the 1890s beginning of the Harlem River Speedway, a long straightaway built along the river at a time when everyone lived up on the hill (Coogan's Bluff of Polo Grounds fame). It was intended for horse traffic (leisure and racing), but after automobiles took over, it was tamed by incorporating it as the northern half of Harlem River Drive, changing the name from Speedway to Driveway to emphasize that it was not for speeding. Funny part is, that use has never quite gone away.


Continuing to the Macombs Dam Bridge.


The last photo is courtesy Doug Kerr because those signs are gone now.


Past the old Willis Avenue Bridge, and then its tan replacement, to the Triboro Bridge where Harlem River Drive becomes FDR Drive (they were conceived separately, and FDR/East River Drive came about first). Crack was wack in 1986, especially to Doc Gooden fans.

Switch to the northbound side and see the Exit 24 ramp
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Up onto Washington Bridge
Up onto I-95
Up onto Macombs Dam Bridge
Exit 20 to Park Avenue
Exit 19 to 125th Street
Exit 17 to Triboro Bridge (Manhattan leg)
Exit 17 to I-278
Exit 17 to Grand Central Parkway
Continue south onto FDR Drive
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