The Cleveland Union Terminal Viaduct is a bridge in Cleveland, Ohio, that facilitates the passage of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s (RTA) Red Line over the Cuyahoga River.
The Cleveland Union Terminal Viaduct is a bridge in Cleveland, Ohio, that facilitates the passage of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s (RTA) Red Line over the Cuyahoga River.
The development of the Regional Transit Authority’s (RTA) Red Line in Cleveland began before 1930, coinciding with the opening of the Cleveland Union Terminal in downtown. Initially, a segment of the line, stretching from East 34th to East 55th Streets, was already operational as part of the Cleveland Interurban Railroad in 1920. 2 By 1930, this section was extended to connect East 34th Street with the Union Terminal. On August 15, the section from downtown southwest to West 117th Street opened. 2 It included a notable 3,450-foot bridge traversing the Cuyahoga River. However, it was not until March 1955 that the Red Line’s eastern portion, running from East 55th Street to Windermere, was inaugurated.
Further expansions of the Red Line occurred in subsequent years. In 1958, the line was extended to West Park, and a decade later, in 1968, it reached the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. 1 2 This extension marked the first direct rail connection between a downtown area and an airport in North America.
Details
- State: Ohio
- Route: RTA Red Line
- Status: Active (Railroad)
- Type: Pennsylvania Through Truss
- Total Length: 3,450'
- Main Span Length: 0
- Spans: 0
- Deck Width: 0
- Roadway Width: 0
- Height of Structure: 0
- Above Vertical Clearance: 0
- Navigational Clearance: 0
Sources
- Holland, Kevin J. “Cleveland Union Terminal.” Classic American Railroad Terminals. By Kevin J.Holland. N.p.: MBI, 2001. 52-53. Print.
- Vartanoff, David. “Cleveland, Ohio.” nycsubway.org, 2012.
The bridge was part of the original CUT project. Furthermore, the station for the CTS rapid was only 3 tracks serving two platforms.