The New York State Bridge Authority operates five bridges over the Hudson River—the Bear Mountain, Newburgh-Beacon, Mid-Hudson, Kingston-Rhinecliff, and Rip Van Winkle bridges—and owns and maintains the structure of the Walkway Over the Hudson pedestrian bridge. Established in 1932 to provide a funding source for bridge construction separate from state finances, it is authorized to raise money by issuing bonds and to repay investors with toll revenues. It has operated without federal or state tax monies, remained financially self-sufficient, reinvested toll revenues to maintain and improve these historic crossings, and is governed by commissioners appointed by the governor to five-year unpaid terms. The first board in 1932 consisted of Clifford L. Miller, Addison P. Jones, and Robert Hoe, appointed by Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt. The authority was specifically created to finance construction of the Rip Van Winkle Bridge and to operate the Mid-Hudson Bridge. James F. Loughran, chairman from 1949 until his death in 1954, was a civil engineering graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a master’s degree in highway engineering from Columbia University, later succeeded as chairman by original member Robert Hoe. Maintenance crews wash the bridges each spring, grease bearings twice a year to aid thermal expansion, clean and paint portions annually, perform minor structural repairs, and support longer-term capital plans. Its bridges include the Bear Mountain Bridge, designed by Howard C. Baird and built in 1923–1924; the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, designed by Modjeski and Masters, with a north span built in 1961–1963 and a south span built in 1976–1980; the Mid-Hudson Bridge, designed by Ralph Modjeski and built in 1925–1930; the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge, designed by David B. Steinman and built in 1954–1957; and the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, designed by Glenn B. Woodruff and built in 1933–1935.