9. Randall’s and Wards Islands Have Multiple Bridges

The Hell Gate Bridge is a railroad bridge built in 1917 connecting Astoria, Queens to Randall’s and Wards Islands. According to a 2005 article, Discover Magazine believes the Hell Gate Bridge is sturdy enough to be the final New York City bridge to collapse if humans were no longer inhabiting Earth.

In 1936, the Triborough Bridge was built to connect the islands to the rest of the city. The bridge is owned and operated by the MTA Bridges and Tunnels, which was once publicly known as the “Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority,” and was run from an Art Deco building and the former base of Robert Moses.

The Wards Island Bridge, or the 103rd Street Footbridge, is a pedestrian bridge that connects the islands to Manhattan over the Harlem River. It opened to pedestrians on May 18, 1951. There’s also the Randall’s Island Connector that links the northern end of the island to the South Bronx.