Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #34: The Merrick Avenue Bridge in Westbury/East Meadow
The 34th bridge in the series documenting the 60 bridges built by the Long Island Motor Parkway is the parkway bridge over Merrick Avenue connecting Westbury and East Meadow.
One of the original 16 Motor Parkway bridges built for 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race and close to Roosevelt and Mitchel Fields, the bridge had been well-documented.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
Construction Photos
The bridge under construction on August 20, 1908. The Landenburg Farm and ever-present windmill can be seen in the background.
The completed bridge as seen in late September 1908. A photographer's Buick can be seen in the photo.
Early Bridge Views
The Merrick Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge looking north.
A close-up of the Meadow Brook Lodge entrance sign.
One of my favorite Motor Parkway images showing the Meadow Brook Lodge in the background and the bridge embankment on the right. Note the entrance to the lodge was on a small hill.
1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Spencer Wishart driving the #16 Mercedes
1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race
The Merrick Avenue Bridge was the most westerly bridge for the 1908, 1909, and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races. A temporary road was built for the races connecting Ellison Road with the Motor Parkway. The road was still visible in this 1926 aerial.
Here the #9 Amplex driven by Walter Jones was seen on the bridge after passing the Meadow Brook Lodge. Note the flagman warning spectators of the car on the course.
Johnny Aitkin's #10 National on the bridge.
1931 Aerial
1933 Aerial
1937 Aerials
A view of Roosevelt Raceway, location for the 1936 and 1937 Vanderbilt Cup Races. The Motor Parkway is south of the race track, running across the middle of the aerial. A close-up shows the Meadow Brook Lodge and the Merrick Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge.
1938 Aerial
Now: 2013
The parking lot ramp (on the same small hill) was the location for the entrance to the Meadow Brook Lodge.
The Merrick Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge was taken down soon after the parkway closed in April 1938. This is the current view at the bridge's formaer location looking north towards Old Country Road.
Check out Wayne Consolla's online map, to find the location of the Merrick Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge.
Comments
As usual great pics and keep them coming,always enjoy them
Keep loving these photos!
it never fails to amaze me that the streets spanned by the bridges were not paved.
Great site, I enjoyed looking at your aerials and photos.
Steve
Growing up in the Merrick area, very cool to see this photos of way before my time. As a car enthusiast now, would have been very cool to still have a raceway right up the road!