The Detroit-Superior Bridge, a 3,112-foot through arch bridge in Cleveland, Ohio, spans the Cuyahoga River. It carries U.S. Routes 6 and 20, linking Detroit Avenue on the city’s west side to Superior Avenue downtown. Constructed by the King Bridge Company, this high-level crossing was built between 1914 and 1917.
History
In the early 1900s, there was a proposal for a high-level crossing over the Cuyahoga River to reduce congestion on the deteriorating Superior Viaduct, which urgently needed significant repairs. City Engineer William J. Carter supported building a bridge from Superior to Franklin Avenues while keeping the older Viaduct as a link between Detroit and St. Clair Avenues. 25 However, Col J. McD. Townsend, a government engineer, argued that a high-level crossing was unnecessary if the existing ban on high masts for lake vessels, primarily used for derrick purposes, was enforced. 31
In 1905, a $2 million bond issue for a high-level bridge along Superior Avenue was approved by a clear majority. 32 But it was later declared invalid due to improper advertisement of the bond ordinance. Subsequently, there was debate over the location of the crossing, and an alternative proposal for a crossing between Lorain and Huron Avenues was twice defeated at the ballot.
In February 1908, Mayor Johnson proposed building a high-level bridge for streetcars and reconstructing the existing Superior Viaduct for automobiles. 29 With no financial progress for the bridge, former county commissioner William Elrick suggested that the county could take on the construction of the Superior Avenue high-level span, bypassing the need for a municipal bond election and requiring only a simple majority for a county bond issue. 26 32
Public hearings on the new bridge continued, and on July 13, 1910, an alignment just north of the Superior Viaduct was selected. 32 35 This decision was immediately contested as it would result in two nearly identical bridges on the same alignment. Despite three lawsuits, all were dismissed. Plans for a $1.3 million high-level crossing were finalized by March’s end, featuring a main steel arch span over the river and open-spandrel steel arches encased in concrete for the approaches. 19 However, a bond issue to fund the crossing failed to pass. 35
In June, the High-Level Bridge Commission suggested selling the Superior Viaduct to the Cleveland Railway Company for conversion into a high-level bridge exclusively for streetcars. 16 A new high-level bridge for automobiles and pedestrians would be built between Detroit and Superior Avenues, funded by a county tax on all taxable property. 35 This proposal passed with a clear majority in November. 32
In January 1911, the county selected the location for the new Detroit-Superior Bridge after consulting with representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Industry, Builders Exchange, Federation of Labor, and the city. 11 Most major business interests supported the Detroit-Superior route, except the Chamber of Commerce, which favored a different alignment, 14 arguing that it paralleled existing facilities and would be a financial burden. 15 They preferred a bridge midway between the existing Central Viaduct and the proposed Detroit-Superior Bridge. The Army Corps of Engineers approved the proposed alignment of the Detroit-Superior Bridge on February 29, and the first contract for test borings was awarded on March 23. 32
Construction
The construction of the bridge was managed by W.A. Stinchcomb, A.W. Zesiger, and K.D. Cowen. 35 On May 4, 1912, the O’Rourke Engineering & Construction Company was contracted to build the two main piers, with the King Bridge Company starting the construction of the arches in the fall.
By January 1913, excavation for the east river pier was complete. 35 In September, the Chamber of Commerce proposed placing streetcar tracks on the upper level and accommodating automobiles and pedestrians on the lower level. They also suggested removing one pier to facilitate a planned Cuyahoga River improvement project, which aimed to eliminate a river bend, and requested raising the bridge further. 8 9 However, the county largely dismissed these late proposals, though it was open to removing a pier to improve river navigation. By November, construction commenced on two caisson piers on the west river side and seven concrete pile piers on the east side. 6
Piers 1 and 2 were constructed by sinking caissons in dry excavations 60 to 65 feet deep. 2 35 Piers 5, 6, and 7 were sunk lower to allow for possible changes in the navigable channel. A double row of steel sheeting formed a cofferdam extending 50 feet below river level. Piers 5 to 11 were based on pre-cast reinforced concrete piles, driven with a 5-ton Vulcan hammer and tested to withstand a load of 60 tons for seven days with a maximum settlement of ¼ inch. Piers 3 and 4, supporting the river span, were built within steel sheet piling cofferdams and rested on blue clay 45 feet below river level.
By July 1914, caisson construction for piers 1 and 2 was in progress, excavation for pier 3 had begun, piers 4 and 9 were completed, and concrete piles were driven for pier 5. 35 Test piles for pier 8 were in place, and construction of the concrete piles was about to start. The arches were finished by December, having used 2,123,300 cubic yards of concrete and 9,385,000 pounds of steel. 2 6
The Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company of Cleveland built secondary piers 1, 2, and 5 to 11, and set the grillage for the cast-steel bolsters supporting the steel arch span. 35
By spring 1915, the west approach was nearly finished, and construction of 90-foot steel towers began to assist in erecting the center arch main span. 35 Eyebar backstays temporarily held the half-arches until they could be joined in the center. Construction of the center span over the river started on July 29 and was completed on October 8.
In the winter of 1915, a crack was discovered on May 1, 1916, in a rib of a 145-foot concrete arch span. 34 Investigation revealed that water intrusion during the pouring process, possibly due to excess water in the concrete or improper workmanship, led to the crack. The affected span was poured on May 27, 1915, and connected to pier 5, which was under observation for horizontal movement. Only the arch ribs had been constructed between piers 5 and 6, and the additional load of the arch ribs and the first floor between piers 6 and 7 placed further stress on pier 5. It was found that pier 5 was shifting westward due to an unbalanced load, threatening the bridge’s structural stability. Pier 6 was also shifting.
To address this, the King Bridge Company decided to lower the steel arch into place and release the backstays from piers 4 and 5. 34 The lower chords of these backstays, made of lattice girders, were then used as struts between piers 4 and 5 to prevent further movement.
Subway
In February 1916, plans for constructing inclines that would allow streetcars to transition from the bridge to street level were scrapped. 35 Instead, the city planning commission decided to build short subways extending several hundred feet from each end of the bridge. This design aimed to minimize disruptions to automobile traffic. The subway on the east side extended 185 feet, reaching Superior Avenue at West 9th Street. On the west side, there were two subways: one extending 725 feet west under Detroit Avenue to West 28th Street, and another spanning 560 feet south beneath West 25th Street to Church Avenue.
The bridge featured four pedestrian entrances at Detroit Avenue and West 25th Street, with one situated in the Forest City Building on the southwest corner and another on the south side of Superior Avenue at the bridge’s eastern approach. 35 The above-ground stations were small, wood-framed structures with hipped roofs. The underground sections boasted white glazed tile walls, recessed lighting, waiting areas, boarding platforms, and public restrooms. Tunnels under the tracks provided access to trains heading east, west, and south.
However, proposed extensions of these subways along Detroit Avenue and West 25th Street, as well as along Superior Avenue and around Public Square, estimated to cost between $1.75 million and $2 million, were delayed due to strong opposition from property owners in Ohio City. 5
By December 1917, the bridge’s lower deck was almost ready for regular streetcar service. 32 Work cars were operational on the bridge, finalizing preparations for regular service by Christmas. The Cleveland Railway Company completed the railway installation. 35
Dedication
The new Detroit-Superior Bridge, constructed at a cost of $5.4 million, 2 was opened for automobile and pedestrian traffic on Thanksgiving Day in 1917. 1 35 Due to wartime conditions, no opening ceremony was held. The bridge’s inaugural streetcar crossing took place on Christmas Eve, carrying 50 prominent officials, including the mayor of Cleveland.
The bridge, designed by William F. Striebinger and overseen by county engineers Frank Lander and Pelgate, spans 3,150 feet. 13 Its main feature was a 665-foot cantilever truss center span. The bridge’s width varied from 81½ feet at the center to 95 feet at the approaches. 35 Its structure includes three concrete arches on the west side of the river and nine on the east side, with the longest clear span measuring 174 feet and the shortest 58 feet. Each concrete arch is supported by four arch ribs, which hold up the beam and slab streetcar deck on heavy spandrel columns spaced 10 feet apart. These columns extend above the lower deck to support the roadway, also constructed of beam and slab.
One unique aspect of the bridge was arch 12, spanning between piers 11 and 12. 35 Due to its crossing over the Big Four Railroad, it required a different design approach. Instead of using centering, which would have interfered with the railroad, a high-rise curve was implemented using three hinged steel arches for both erection and reinforcement.
The bridge’s upper level was designed for automobile traffic and included wide sidewalks on both sides. 2 The lower level housed four streetcar tracks with space for two additional tracks. 5 Two of these tracks were specifically designed for high-speed travel. The streetcar entry portals were located at West 6th Street and Superior Avenue, and at West 25th Street and Detroit Avenue. 1
The completion of the Detroit-Superior Bridge marked it as the city’s first fixed high-level crossing and the third high-level span over the Cuyahoga River. At the time, it was the largest steel and concrete reinforced bridge in the world. 2
Modifications
In 1927, there was a proposal to remove the unused streetcar tracks on the Detroit-Superior Bridge’s lower level and replace them with additional lanes for automobiles. 35 However, this $1.1 million project never materialized due to funding issues. By 1930, the bridge was handling over 70,000 vehicles daily, making it one of the busiest river crossings in the country. 1 The traffic congestion was somewhat alleviated in the same decade with the openings of the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge and the Main Avenue Bridge.
In 1939, the construction of Bulkley Boulevard required changes to the bridge’s west approach. 35 The wooden subway house at the northeast corner of Detroit Avenue and West 25th Street was replaced with a new sandstone structure.
By 1946, the subway stations and street-level entrances had deteriorated significantly, reflecting the overall decline of the city’s streetcar system. 35 Streetcar services on the Detroit Avenue line ended on August 25, 1951, and the West 25th Street line ceased operation on August 15, 1953. A proposal by Mayor Anthony J. Celebreeze in December to convert the lower deck for automobile use was rejected by county engineer Albert S. Porter, who termed it “engineered murder.”
The last streetcar journey over the bridge was a free ride event on January 24, 1954. 35 In February, a temporary roadway was tested over the streetcar tracks.
In May 1955, the city council passed an ordinance allowing the city to fill in the streetcar wells, which were subsequently filled with gravel and asphalt in November. 1 The spandrel arches near the approaches were sealed with cinder blocks, and the stairwells to the subways were closed and covered, leading to the removal of the station houses.
By 1965, the bridge had deteriorated to the point of needing significant rehabilitation. 35 Between 1967 and May 1969, 2 the bridge underwent a $6 million renovation. 35 This included the construction of two new cantilevered traffic lanes on the outside of the main span arch, expanding the bridge width from 45 feet to 72 feet. Sidewalk widths were reduced from 15 feet to five feet, ornamental pylons were removed, and new railings and lighting fixtures were installed.
The Detroit-Superior Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 18, 1974. It was renamed the Veterans Memorial Bridge on Veterans Day in 1989. 1
In September 2002, a project was approved to convert the two cantilevered automobile lanes for use by cyclists and pedestrians. 3 This $2.7 million project was completed in 2004. 4
Gallery
Details
- State: Ohio
- Route: US Route 6, US Route 20
- Status: Active (Automobile)
- Type: Open Spandrel Arch, Steel Arch
- Total Length: 2,656'
- Main Span Length: 591'
- Spans: 0
- Deck Width: 72'
- Roadway Width: 0
- Height of Structure: 0
- Above Vertical Clearance: 0
- Navigational Clearance: 0
Sources
- “Veterans Memorial Bridge.” The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. N.p.: Case Western Reserve University, 27 Mar. 1998. Web. 29 July 2012. Article.
- McMichael, Stanley L. The Detroit-Superior High Level Bridge. Bridges of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. N.p.: n.p., 1918. 7-10. Print.
- “Bridging the gap for Cleveland’s bicyclists and pedestrians.” EcoCity Cleveland, n.d. Article.
- “Detroit Superior Bridge.” LAND Studio, n.d. Article.
- “Forget Subways, Hurry Up Bridge.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 24 Jan. 1914: 1-16. Print.
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- “Gain Half Year on Span.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 3 May 1914: 22. Print.
- “Halt New Bridge? Never! Says Board.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 16 Sept. 1913: 14. Print.
- “Won’t Alter Plan For Higher Bridge.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 30 Sept. 1913: 2. Print.
- “Split on Bridge Piers.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 30 Mar. 1913: 16. Print.
- “Superior-Detroit Site Chosen for New Bridge.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 4 Jan. 1911: 4. Print. (map)
- “Interests Ratify High Bridge Site.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 5 Feb. 1911: 1-2. Print.
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- “Ask City to Sell Superior Viaduct.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 1 June 1910: 1-11. Print.
- “Bridge to Follow Superior Route.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 22 June 1910: 5. Print.
- “County is Ready With Bridge Plan.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 20 Jan. 1910: 10. Print.
- “Superior Bridge Plans are Ready.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 31 Mar. 1909: 4. Print.
- “Authorizes Vote for New Bridge.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 24 Feb. 1909: 8. Print.
- “Cassidy an Easy Victor; Bonds All Meet Defeat.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 21 Apr. 1909: 1. Print.
- “Working on Grade for Proposed High Level Bridge.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 10 Feb. 1909: 10. Print.
- “High Level Bridge Against Brought Up.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 30 Jan. 1909: 12. Print.
- “May Drop Bond Issue.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 25 Feb. 1909: 14. Print.
- “Mayor Originates Move for Bridge.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 19 Aug. 1909: 1, 8. Print.
- “Says County Can Build Big Bridge.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland] 7 Aug. 1908: 1, 7. Print.
- “To Study Bridge Cost.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland] 23 Aug. 1908: 12. Print.
- “Start Bridge Plans.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland] 5 Feb. 1908: 10. Print.
- “Favors a Viaduct for Street Cars.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland] 12 Feb. 1908: 3. Print.
- “Wants Change in New Bridge Plans.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland] 12 Nov. 1908: 12. Print.
- “Would Condemn All High Masts.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland] 18 Nov. 1907: 8. Print.
- Rose, W.B. “All in the Day’s Work.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland] 22 Dec. 1917: 8. Print.
- Waddell, John Alexander Low. “Arch Bridges.” Bridge Engineering. By John Alexander Low Waddell. Vol.1. New York: Publishers Printing, 1916. 631-32. Print.
- Zesiger, A. W. “Crack in New Concrete Arch Explained by Freezing of Pocketed Water.” Engineering News-Record 77.9 (1917): 356. Print.
- Miller, Carol Poh. Detroit-Superior High Level Bridge. N.p.: Historic American Engineering Record, 1978. Print.