Most drawbridges swing or lift. The Borden Avenue Bridge, opened in 1908 over Dutch Kills in Long Island City, does neither — it retracts, rolling diagonally backward on narrow rails that look borrowed from a railroad, clearing the channel by sliding out of the way entirely. It’s one of only four retractile bridges left standing in the United States, last opened for boat traffic in 2005.
Featured in: The week's catch — July 13–19