Brooklyn Bridge getting a $500 million makeover

The Brooklyn Bridge has been through a lot in its 127 years, and now the New York icon needs a facelift.

The famous 1.1-mile suspension bridge is getting a $500 million makeover, a project that includes a complete repainting and the repair of elements that were part of its original construction.

Vice President Joe Biden joined Mayor Michael Bloomberg Wednesday to mark the beginning of the rehab, which is set to be completed in four years.

The federal economic recovery act provided $30 million for the effort; the rest of the funding comes from the city and other federal sources.

Standing in front of an access ramp where huge swaths of peeling paint exposed patches of rusted steel, Biden said the makeover was a “badly needed” upgrade for the beloved bridge.

“This bridge is an emblem of what this great country represents,” he said.

The bridge, with its two neo-Gothic towers and elegant steel cables, is one of New York City’s most revered pieces of architecture. Designed by engineer John Augustus Roebling, it opened May 24, 1883, after 13 years of building at a cost of $15 million.

The East River span — the subject of several books, a Ken Burns documentary and countless songs — helped spur the growth of the city’s outer boroughs. It also has played an important role in major events throughout city history, including on Sept. 11, 2001, when a flood of people fled lower Manhattan by walking across the bridge.

The structure has been spruced up many times over the years, but not recently.

“It is the first major work on the bridge in 10 years,” Bloomberg said….