Built between 1870 and 1883, it links Manhattan and Brooklyn and opened on 24 May 1883, after works that began on 3 January 1870. The design was led by engineer John Augustus Roebling, although after his death in 1869 the project fell under the direction of his son, Washington Roebling, as chief engineer, with a very prominent role played by Emily Warren Roebling in the final supervision and coordination of the work. At the moment of its opening it was the largest suspension bridge in the world, with a total length of 1,825 metres and a main span of 486.3 metres, and it was also the first to be suspended by steel cables. On opening day it was crossed by more than 1,800 vehicles and around 150,000 people. The project required an investment of $15.1 million and claimed 27 lives during construction. Over time it became one of New York’s great symbols and one of its most recognizable images.