The West 3rd Street Bridge carries West 3rd Street over the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio.
History
The West 3rd Street Bridge, spanning the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, has a rich history. Initially, one of Cleveland’s earliest bridges was built over the Cuyahoga River on Seneca Street in 1854. 5 However, this bridge collapsed in 1857 5 due to being overburdened with cattle, as reported by the city engineer. 6 It was soon replaced by a wooden drawbridge, operated manually.
By 1888, this wooden bridge was substituted with a more robust iron bridge. 6 This new structure was a double intersection Pratt type, featuring a pivot span measuring 180 feet and a fixed span of 105 feet.
In September 1913, the Army Corps of Engineers approved the bridge’s reconstruction, 4 leading to the replacement of the old structure with a new iron pivot-span bridge, 138 feet in length. 3 Unfortunately, a streetcar collision in 1916 caused the collapse of the remaining approach span from the 1888 bridge.
A $11 million project commenced in 1937 to remove hazardous curves and widen the navigational channel of the Cuyahoga River. This project aimed to expand the river’s navigational width and soften sharp curves, following recommendations from the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the River and Harbor Committee of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce.
In 1939, a public hearing was held to discuss the construction of a new bridge on West 3rd Street Road as part of a $5.5 million project to build three new lift bridges. 2 The new West 3rd Street bridge, designed by renowned Cleveland engineer Wilbur Watson, was a key component of this initiative. 1 Finished in 1940, 3 the completed vertical lift structure offered significant improvements, including a 200-foot wide channel and a 98-foot vertical clearance.
While building the bridge, a temporary pontoon bridge was erected. This structure was made of welded steel and featured a 20-foot wide, 123-foot long roadway. It was equipped with electrically operated winches that controlled a ball-socket device, allowing the deck to pivot. When this pontoon bridge was opened, it provided an unobstructed channel measuring 80 feet wide.
Rehabilitation
In 2004, the West 3rd Street Bridge in Cleveland underwent a major rehabilitation. 7 The City of Cleveland commissioned West Carroll Bergmann Associates of Toledo for the engineering and design plans. On June 4, a contract worth $16.8 million was awarded to Walsh Construction. This contract included the construction of a new lift span and updating mechanical and electrical components, with a completion deadline of May 31, 2006.
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) funded 80% of the project, with the remaining 20% funded by the City of Cleveland. 7
The bridge was closed to traffic in November 2004. 7 However, during the renovation, unexpected issues emerged, leading to additional work and increased costs not covered in the initial contract. These issues included the need for a $3 million investment to replace worn counterweights and $1.9 million to replace girders and concrete floors at the top of the two towers. Consequently, the total cost of the project escalated to $25 million.
Walsh Construction planned to sandblast and repaint the towers. 7 However, due to the unforeseen repairs needed on the floors and girders, they could only apply a primer coat before installing the new mechanical and electrical parts and the new lift span in March 2006. This complication made the painting process more difficult and costly.
Further complications arose when it was discovered on March 6 that the cables for lifting the bridge were too short, necessitating replacement in June and July. 7 The bridge’s reopening, initially scheduled for the end of the year, was delayed due to the installation of safety gates at each end of the span, finally reopening on January 11, 2007.
In April, Walsh requested an additional $4.4 million for completing the bridge’s painting. 7 While ODOT agreed to fund the work, it believed it could be done for less than Walsh’s estimate. A dispute led to Walsh filing a claim against ODOT. ODOT eventually paid Walsh $132,500 for increased costs related to sandblasting and cleaning the towers but denied a claim for $928,491 for the replacement of 64 cables that were four feet too short.
The bridge experienced another closure in June due to issues with its lifting mechanism. 7 Subsequently, the Cuyahoga County engineer’s office, at ODOT’s request, took over the painting project after Walsh and ODOT settled their claim, with Walsh agreeing not to complete the work. Despite time constraints, bids for painting the bridge were received, ranging from $4.875 million to $7 million. APBN Inc. of Campbell was eventually awarded the contract.
Painting began on April 15. 7 However, the primer applied by Walsh was no longer effective, as it required an intermediate coat within 30 days to adhere properly. Only the lift span, which had a different primer, needed two top coats.
Ultimately, the renovation of the West 3rd Street Bridge totaled $28.57 million. 7
Gallery
Information
- State: Ohio
- Route: West 3rd Street
- Type: Vertical Lift, Warren Through Truss
- Status: Active - Automobile
- Main Span Length: 200' (1940)
- Total Height: 130' (1940)
- Navigational Clearance: 97.3' (1940)
Sources
- Sims, Damon. “Columbus Road bridge in Flats closed for repairs, has uncertain future.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 22 Aug. 2008. 25 July 2012. Article.
- Dean, Jewell R. “Marine News.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland] 19 Mar. 1939: 56. Print.
- Watson, Sara Ruth, and John R. Wolfs. “Moveable Bridges.”Bridges of Metropolitan Cleveland. By SaraRuth Watson and John R. Wolfs. N.p.: n.p., 1981. Print.
- “Bridging Navigable Waters.” Report of the Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army, 1914, p. 1492.
- Sibley, Willis. “Bridges.” Encyclopedia of Cleveland History.
- McMichael, Stanley L. “Other Important Bridges in Cleveland.” Bridges of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, 1918, p. 29.
- Farkas, Karen. “West Third Street Lift Bridge will be painted three years after it was renovated.” Cleveland.com, 30 Jan. 2010.