The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. It is 5,989 feet (1825 m) long and connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Bridge is also the largest suspension bridge in the world.It was the first suspension bridge to use steel for its cable wire.The construction for the bridge began in January 3, 1870 and was completed thirteen years later on May 24, 1883. The bridge cost $15.1 million to build and more then 27 people died during its construction. The bridge is built from limestone, granite, and Rosendale cement. The architectural style of the bridge is Gothic, with pointed arches above the passageways through the stone towers.Roebling designed the Brooklyn Bridge to have a load capacity of 18,700 tons. He planned to run two elevated railroad tracks, which were to connect to elevated railroad systems in New York and Brooklyn, down the center of the bridge. On both side of the tracks, he designed four lanes two lanes on two outer roadways for carriages and horseback riders. Directly over the tracks, he provided an elevated promenade for pedestrians and bicyclists. Today the Brooklyn Bridge no longer carries carriages, horseback riders, railroads, and streetcars.