NThe first proposal for the construction of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, also known as the Whitestone Bridge was put forth as early as 1905. Expecting that the Whitestone Bridge plan would be approved, developers build up the neighborhood of Malba in Whitestone. However the residents of Whitestone opposed the building of the bridge, believing that it would change the rural character of Queens. The project was abandoned until 1930 when the influential NYC parks Commissioner Robert Moses proposed a plan to build it. The proposed suspension bridge would cross the East River and provide a vital connection between the boroughs of Queens and Bronx. It would give thousands of motorists the ability to avoid heavily populated areas of western Queens, when traveling between Long Island, New England or upstate New York. The New York State legislature approved the plan for the Whitestone Bridge in April of 1937. The Whitestone Bridge not only relieved the congestion on the Triborough Bridge but also provided easy access to LaGuardia Airport (then known as North Beach Airport). As the chairman of the 1939-1940 World’s Fair, it was equally important to Robert Moses that the bridge provide a direct link to the World’s Fair. As soon as the necessary approvals were granted, Robert Moses apportioned Othmar Ammann as the chief architect. The pair had worked together on the Triborough Bridge and would continue to collaborate on several projects throughout their lives. Opposition to the building of the Bridge surfaced when Robert Moses made a controversial decision to demolish 17 homes in Malba to speed up construction. Robert Moses was also challenged by the Regional Plan Association (RPA) who insisted that the plans for the Whitestone Bridge make provisions for rail transit. However, the RPA was not able to generate enough pressure to influence the guidelines for construction. The deadline for the Whitestone Bridge was set for the opening of the 1939 World's Fair in April. The lack of time incentivized both Robert Moses and Othmar Ammann to complete the bridge in record time; the Bridge was complete in a mere 23 months. Othmar Ammann had an incredible ability to work around budget and time constraints without compromising the quality of his work. With the tight construction schedule given to him by Robert Moses, Othmar Ammann was able to cut the construction time in half by implementing innovative measures. One of these measures was to abandon the traditional use of stiffening trusses, and use a flexible steel-plate girder to reinforce the bridge. This decision was highly controversial at the time since a similar bridge in Washington State, called the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, had collapsed during a storm in 1940. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge also used a similar type of the steel-plate girder as reinforcement. Shortly after the opening of the Whitestone Bridge, questions were raised about its safety, and many questions addressed concern with the bridges ability to withstand high winds. After closer inspection it was discovered that the bridge had a fundamental flaw in its design: during high winds it was prone to oscillation, deeming it unstable. In 2001, $286 million was put forth by the MTA Bridges and Tunnels to address this issue and to further rehabilitate the bridge; the rehabilitation process was completed by 2008.