Editing Brooklyn Bridge (section)

==== Deterioration and late-20th century repair ====
[[File:View looking towards Manhattan of steps up to Promenade with Brooklyn Tower in background. Jet Lowe, photographer, 1982 - Brooklyn Bridge, Spanning East River between Park Row, HAER NY,31-NEYO,90-68.tif|thumb|alt=A view of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1982, showing the steps that formerly led to the pedestrian promenade. A suspension tower is located in the background|The Brooklyn Bridge formerly had steps up to the promenade from the Brooklyn approach (seen here in 1982).]]
The Brooklyn Bridge gradually deteriorated due to age and neglect. While it had 200 full-time dedicated maintenance workers before World War II, that number dropped to five by the late 20th century, and the city as a whole only had 160 bridge maintenance workers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/17/nyregion/bridge-troubles-provide-a-case-study-of-neglect.html|title=Bridge Troubles Provide A Case Study of Neglect|last=Sims|first=Calvin|date=April 17, 1988|work=The New York Times|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|access-date=July 5, 2019|archive-date=July 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705214731/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/17/nyregion/bridge-troubles-provide-a-case-study-of-neglect.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1974, heavy vehicles such as vans and buses were banned from the bridge to prevent further erosion of the concrete roadway.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/01/27/archives/newspaper-vans-lose-right-to-use-brooklyn-bridge.html|title=Newspaper Vans Lose Right to Use Brooklyn Bridge|date=January 27, 1974|work=The New York Times|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|access-date=July 5, 2019|archive-date=July 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705214722/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/01/27/archives/newspaper-vans-lose-right-to-use-brooklyn-bridge.html|url-status=live}}</ref> A report in ''The New York Times'' four years later noted that the cables were visibly fraying and the pedestrian promenade had holes in it.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/03/27/archives/new-jersey-pages-new-york-bridges-arent-falling-but-some-are.html|title=New York Bridges Aren't Falling, But Some Are Crumbling|last=Lichtenstein|first=Grace|date=March 27, 1978|work=The New York Times|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|access-date=July 5, 2019|archive-date=July 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705214719/https://www.nytimes.com/1978/03/27/archives/new-jersey-pages-new-york-bridges-arent-falling-but-some-are.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The city began planning to replace all the Brooklyn Bridge's cables at a cost of $115&nbsp;million, as part of a larger project to renovate the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg, and Queensboro bridges.<ref name="nyt19810630">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/30/nyregion/brooklyn-bridge-to-get-new-set-of-steel-cables.html|title=Brooklyn Bridge to Get New Set of Steel Cables|last=Goldman|first=Ari L|date=June 30, 1981|work=The New York Times|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|access-date=July 5, 2019|archive-date=July 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705214724/https://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/30/nyregion/brooklyn-bridge-to-get-new-set-of-steel-cables.html|url-status=live}}</ref> By 1980, the Brooklyn Bridge was in such dire condition that it faced imminent closure. In some places, half of the strands in the cables were broken.<ref>{{cite news|first=Mark|last=Lieberman|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33568240/|title=Rotting B'klyn Bridge May Face Closing|date=October 21, 1980|work=New York Daily News|access-date=July 5, 2019|page=58|via=newspapers.com|archive-date=January 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240125005557/https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-rotting-bklyn-bridge-may-fac/33568240/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 1981, two of the diagonal stay cables snapped,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/29/nyregion/2-steel-cables-snap-on-brooklyn-bridge.html|title=2 Steel Cables Snap on Brooklyn Bridge|last=Saxon|first=Wolfgang|date=June 29, 1981|work=The New York Times|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|access-date=June 18, 2019|archive-date=February 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180221190143/http://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/29/nyregion/2-steel-cables-snap-on-brooklyn-bridge.html|url-status=live}}</ref> killing a pedestrian.<ref name="nydn19810630">{{cite news|title=Troubled Waters for Bridges|last=Steele|first=Ned|date=June 30, 1981|work=New York Daily News|pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/32995318/ 5], [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/32995355/ 55]|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="nyt19860308" /> Subsequently, the anchorages were found to have developed rust,<ref name="nydn19810630" /> and an emergency cable repair was necessitated less than a month later after another cable developed slack.<ref>{{cite news|first=Sheila|last=Sullivan|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/32995219/|title=Another Cable Snag on Brooklyn Bridge|date=July 6, 1981|work=New York Daily News|access-date=June 18, 2019|page=155|via=newspapers.com|archive-date=January 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240125005604/https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-another-cable-snag-on-brookly/32995219/|url-status=live}}</ref> Following the incident, the city accelerated the timetable of its proposed cable replacement,<ref name="nyt19810630" /> and it commenced a $153&nbsp;million rehabilitation of the Brooklyn Bridge in advance of the 100th anniversary. As part of the project, the bridge's original suspender cables installed by J. Lloyd Haigh were replaced by [[Bethlehem Steel]] in 1986, marking the cables' first replacement since construction.<ref name="nyt19860308" /><ref name="Morning Call m830" /> In addition, the staircase at Washington Street in Brooklyn was renovated,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/01/04/nyregion/the-city-bridge-entrance-shut-in-brooklyn.html|title=The City; Bridge Entrance Shut in Brooklyn|date=January 4, 1985|work=The New York Times|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|access-date=July 5, 2019|archive-date=July 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705214715/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/01/04/nyregion/the-city-bridge-entrance-shut-in-brooklyn.html|url-status=live}}</ref> the stairs from Tillary and Adams Streets were replaced with a ramp, and the short flights of steps from the promenade to each tower's balcony were removed.<ref>{{harvnb|ps=.|Brooklyn Bridge Promenade Recommendation Report|2016|p=5}}</ref> In a smaller project, the bridge was floodlit at night starting in 1982 to highlight its architectural features.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/32995466/|title=Lighting Pact to Help Brighten Bridge|last=Copage|first=Eric V|date=September 20, 1982|work=New York Daily News|access-date=June 18, 2019|page=74|via=newspapers.com|archive-date=January 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240125005703/https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-lighting-pact-to-help-brighte/32995466/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Additional problems persisted, and in 1993, high levels of [[lead]] were discovered near the bridge's towers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/02/nyregion/high-lead-levels-found-near-3-east-river-bridges.html|title=High Lead Levels Found Near 3 East River Bridges|last=Mitchell|first=Alison|date=September 2, 1992|work=The New York Times|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|access-date=July 8, 2019|archive-date=July 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708142910/https://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/02/nyregion/high-lead-levels-found-near-3-east-river-bridges.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Further emergency repairs were undertaken in mid-1999 after small concrete shards began falling from the bridge into the East River. The concrete deck had been installed during the 1950s renovations and had a lifespan of about 60 years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/05/nyregion/as-concrete-falls-city-moves-to-fix-brooklyn-bridge.html|title=As Concrete Falls, City Moves to Fix Brooklyn Bridge|last=Lueck|first=Thomas J|date=February 5, 1999|work=The New York Times|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|access-date=July 5, 2019|archive-date=July 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705215328/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/05/nyregion/as-concrete-falls-city-moves-to-fix-brooklyn-bridge.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=James|last=Rutenberg|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33568860/|title=Bridge Fixup|date=February 4, 1999|work=New York Daily News|access-date=July 5, 2019|page=605|via=newspapers.com|archive-date=January 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240125005701/https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-bridge-fixup/33568860/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Park Row exit from the bridge's westbound lanes was closed as a safety measure after the [[September 11 attacks|September&nbsp;11, 2001, attacks]] on the nearby [[World Trade Center (1973–2001)|World Trade Center]]. That section of Park Row had been closed off since it ran right underneath [[1&nbsp;Police Plaza]], the headquarters of the [[New York City Police Department]] (NYPD).<ref name="Buckley 2007">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/24/nyregion/24police.html|title=Chinatown Residents Frustrated Over Street Closed Since 9/11|last=Buckley|first=Cara|date=September 24, 2007|website=The New York Times|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|access-date=July 4, 2019|archive-date=June 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190629070151/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/24/nyregion/24police.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In early 2003, to save money on electricity, the NYCDOT turned off the bridge's "necklace lights" at night.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/24/nyregion/neighborhood-report-new-york-waterfront-east-river-bridges-are-missing-strings.html|title=Neighborhood Report: New York Waterfront; East River Bridges Are Missing Strings of Pearls|last=Chan|first=Erin|date=August 24, 2003|work=The New York Times|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|access-date=July 5, 2019|archive-date=July 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706000509/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/24/nyregion/neighborhood-report-new-york-waterfront-east-river-bridges-are-missing-strings.html|url-status=live}}</ref> They were turned back on later that year after several private entities made donations to fund the lights.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/01/nyregion/bridges-necklace-lights-to-return.html|title=Bridges' 'Necklace Lights' to Return|last=Feuer|first=Alan|date=November 1, 2003|work=The New York Times|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|access-date=July 8, 2019|archive-date=December 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228112249/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/01/nyregion/bridges-necklace-lights-to-return.html|url-status=live}}</ref>