New York City has a little over 2,000 bridges in total, depending on how you define a “bridge.”

Quick Scoop

  • A widely cited figure is 2,027 bridges in NYC when you include all sizes, including very small structures you can’t walk across.
  • A more conservative, official-style count notes 789 bridges and tunnels in the city’s core network, many of them managed by NYC DOT.
  • One detailed independent analysis that adds in all agencies estimates about 823 bridges and tunnels operating in NYC.

So if you’re just wondering “how many bridges in NYC?” for a quick fact:

The best headline answer is around 2,000 bridges , with about 800 major bridges and tunnels in active use.

Why the numbers differ

  • Different sources include or exclude tiny bridges and culverts.
  • Some counts include tunnels with bridges, others list bridges only.
  • Multiple agencies (NYC DOT, MTA, Port Authority, NYS DOT, Parks, DEP) all own pieces of the network, so totals shift based on who you include.

Fun side fact

  • Manhattan alone is connected to the rest of New York by 21 bridges , which is why you see “21 bridges” referenced in projects and lists about the borough.

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Curious how many bridges are in NYC? Learn why estimates range from about 800 major bridges and tunnels to over 2,000 total structures, plus what counts as a “bridge” in New York City.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.