Construction of the West Side Highway in 1930. Labeled as "the greatest highway of its kind in the world," this original section ran from Canal Street / Holland Tunnel to the northern tip of Manhattan. Planners also considered double-decking the highway to keep up with the increase in traffic. In 1973 a section near Gansevoort street collapsed due to a truck carrying 30 tons of asphalt for repairs further up the highway. Only one car followed the truck through the newly created gap in the road, the rest of the traffic being forced to back up and off over the next several hours. It was soon determined that the highway was structurally unsound and it would stay closed for years to come, as the city did not have the funds to demolish or repair it. Eventually the highway south of 59th street would be demolished between 1977 - 1983. #westsidehighway #bethunestreet #hudsonriver #hudsonriverpark #millerhighway #weststreetnyc #nychistory #newyorkhistory (at West Side Highway)