New York City is selling the narrow Willis Avenue Bridge, one of its historic railway bridges, for just 1 dollar, The New York Times reported Saturday according to dpa. However, the purchaser has to do maintenance on the bridge and cannot alter its historic character. The swing bridge is used by 75,000 vehicles annually and connects the Bronx and Manhattan over the Harlem River. The bridge was opened on August 22, 1901 and is one of New York's oldest. However, operating costs of 1.1 million dollars annually are too high for the city. A wider replacement bridge for cars, pedestrians and cyclists has already been planned at a cost of 300 million dollars. Construction is set to begin next year and end in 2012. The Willis Avenue Bridge will be demolished, if a purchaser cannot be found. A citizens' initiative has already expressed interest.
