The Detroit–Superior Bridge is a through arch bridge over the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. The bridge links Detroit Avenue on Cleveland's west side and Superior Avenue on Cleveland's east side, terminating west of Public Square. Construction by the King Bridge Company began in 1914 and completed in 1918, at a cost of $5.4 million. It was the first fixed high level bridge in Cleveland, and the third high-level bridge above the Cuyahoga. At the time of its completion, the bridge was the largest steel and concrete reinforced bridge in the world.
Specifications
The high level bridge starts on the east at the center line of West 9th Street and Superior, and extends across the Cuyahoga Valley to the junction of West 25th Street and Detroit Avenue. It is long. The total cost, including the land and a right of way, was $5,407,000, split as $1,687,200 was for land and $3,719,800 for the superstructure. The bridge has of clearance above the river, and rises to above the river at the peak of the central span. The original construction included a main deck wide, with two sidewalks and a roadway. While the bridge's upper level is for road traffic, the lower level was intended for streetcars. It was built with four sets of these tracks, leaving room for two more, if needed. The structure includes 12 concrete arches and one steel span. The steel span is long and crosses the Cuyahoga River. The steel span cost $646,747. About of concrete and of reinforcing steel were used in the construction of the arches. The concrete piles used in the foundation work, if placed end to end, would extend a distance of. Each end of the structure has underground streetcar stations for the trams that operated on the lower deck.
Modifications
Due to the closure of the streetcar operations, the subway level became unused. In November 1955, ramps to the lower level were closed. The Detroit–Superior Bridge remained a bottleneck during rush hour. A two-year renovation completed in May 1969 added two traffic lanes by narrowing existing sidewalks from 15 to 5 feet and cantilevering the new lanes outside the central arch. On November 11, 1989, the bridge was renamed the Veterans Memorial Bridge. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 18, 1974. In 2003, Cuyahoga County Commissioners approved the conversion of the two outside traffic lanes for pedestrian and bicycle use. The lower level and subway station are opened to the public for tours a few times per year, typically around Memorial Day, Labor Day, and for the Cleveland Ingenuity Festival. Self-guided tours are free of charge.
