Cuyahoga River Bridges

 

The long history of the Cuyahoga River crossings in Cleveland, Ohio date back over two centuries - much of it not documented. From a "bridge war" to squabbles over financing to never-used rapid-transit levels on existing bridges, Cleveland has an astounding amount of bridges of all types - high-level viaducts, vertical lifts, swings, jackknifes and more from varying years. Below is a guide to the Cuyahoga River's bridges in order from its mouth at Lake Erie southward towards the LTV complex:

 

No. 1: Penn Central Bridge

 

The Penn-Central Bridge crosses near the mouth of the Cuyahoga River and was constructed in 1958 at a cost of $5 million. The bridge was built with a 250-foot wide navigation channel and a lift span that could raise 98 feet. It replaced an earlier span for the former Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railway (C&P). Financing was provided by the Pennsylvania and New York Central, along with the federal government as part of the $55 million Cuyahoga River streamlining project to remove navigation obstacles and to widen the shipping channel.

 

Below: A Norfolk Southern train is approaching the lift span.

 

 

No. 2: B&O Whiskey Island Bridge (Old Channel)

 

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) Whisky Island Bridge spans the old channel of the Cuyahoga. The original B&O bridge was a wing-type swing span that was constructed in 1897. It’s minute size, which limited crossings to ten-ton cars, hampered the industrial growth of Whisky Island. The bridge afforded a channel width of only 140 feet, which hindered river navigation.

 

In September 1905, the B&O announced that a new bridge at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River would be constructed to widen the shipping channel and to remove any obstacle to river navigation. The new bridge was proposed to be a rolling lift with a clear width of 210 feet. Considered a novelty at the time, the rolling lift bridge would raise on one end into the air, supported by a counterbalance on the front end. The new span was designed by the Scherzer Rolling Lift Company under the preparations of J.E. Greiner, Chief Engineer.

 

The railroad made available $180,000 towards the construction. It was part of a major construction project along the Newcastle division, which included constructing cut-offs, straightening and lowering the grade, and double-tracking to improve reliability of service and to increase track speeds. In addition, $1.75 million was spent towards the construction of a new low grade from Lodi to Sullivan, and a second track from Sullivan to Nova, a distance of 25.5 miles. With the double tracking, the B&O line was improved from Pittsburg to Hamler. Originally, it was contemplated to only double track the existing line between Sterling to Lodi at a cost of $1.25 million, but increased business necessitated further improvements.

 

The steel was fabricated by the King Bridge Company of Cleveland and erected by the Pittsburgh Construction Company. When it was completed in 1907, the bridge afforded a 230-foot span with a clear channel width of 210 feet and was the longest single-leaf Scherzer ever constructed, a feat never improved upon. In 1949, the Chamber of Commerce backed a study at the request of Cleveland’s industrial and business interests to construct a lift span for the B&O. The estimated cost of such a bridge would be $4,250,000. It was never completed.

 

Below: The Whiskey Island Bridge is located behind the Main Avenue bridge in a raised position.

 

 

Willow Avenue Bridge (Old Channel)

 

The Willow Avenue Bridge is a lift span that crosses the old channel of the Cuyahoga. It is the largest such bridge along the river.

 

The first iteration of the crossing was a swing span with a main span of 170 feet that was constructed in 1898. The first mention of a replacement span came in 1949 when the Chamber of Commerce backed a study at the request of Cleveland’s industrial and business interests to construct a lift span. The estimated cost of such a bridge was $3.2 million.

 

A vertical lift bridge was designed by Trygve Hoff and Associates with a main span length of 320 feet, and a rise of 98 feet that can be completed in just 1.5 minutes. The first authorization for funds, at $400,000, was approved on November 28, 1960; the federal government would provide the remainder as part of an Army Corps of Engineering project to improve river navigation of the Cuyahoga River. Bids for construction were opened on May 22, 1963.

 

The new span, the largest over the Cuyahoga River with a river channel of 200 feet, contained 1,400 tons of steel and 30 tons of self-gripping bolts manufactured by Lamson & Sessions of Brooklyn. It was erected by the Engels Steel Construction Company of Alabama. The new Willow Avenue Bridge cost $3.8 million and opened on April 1, 1965.

 

Main Avenue Bridge

 

The first Main Avenue Bridge was constructed in 1869 and was one of the first iron bridges in the city. It featured a 200-foot swing span pivoted from a central pier. The bridge was rebuilt in 1885 to be operated by steam. In 1915, the bridge was repaired and moved slightly to allow for longer approaches for the larger vessels that were now moving up the Cuyahoga. By 1943, the swing span was being operated over 9,000 times per year. It was demolished in 1947 when it was declared obsolete due to the completion of the Main Avenue high-level bridge.

 

Plans for a Main Avenue high-level viaduct were first formulated in 1930, and in November, a $6 million bond issue was passed by voters towards the construction of a bridge. The Great Depression postponed any construction, but with the formation of the Public Works Administration, a new source of financing was available.

 

Ground was broken on May 12, 1938 for a 5,920-foot viaduct. Including ramps, the bridge stretched for 8,000 feet. From the western end, the bridge featured five steel spans 200 feet long, followed by two spans of 240 feet each, and then a span of 320 feet. The east ramp across railroad tracks, consisting of a three four-span plate girders, were each 270.8 feet in length, the largest built in the United States at that time. The concrete piers of the river span were anchored in blue clay 45 feet below the riverbed, and stood 100 feet from the river’s edge to allow for future widening of the channel.

 

On April 25, 1939, a golden rivet was driven that linked the east and west sides of the bridge. The bridge was dedicated later that year on October 6 to more than a thousand people. It was completed at a cost of $7.5 million. The bridge received the an American Institute of Steel Construction Honorable Mention for its design. The Main Avenue Bridge was rehabilitated in 1978.

 

Below: Various scenes of the Main Avenue Bridge (SR 2), painted in a crisp blue.

 

 

 

 

 

Superior Viaduct

 

Prior to the Civil War, the need for a high-level crossing of the Cuyahoga River was needed. The first proposal came in 1835 by Oliver P. Baldwin, an editor with the Cleveland Daily Advertiser, who advocated such a bridge to facilitate easier “communication” between Cleveland and Ohio City. Baldwin advocated for an arch bridge, supported by stone piers, that would be 120 feet wide with room for railroads, a common road, and widewalks with iron railings. He went on to elaborate the need for apartments, offices, stores and warehouses that would rise from the ground to the top of the arch, and the need for the bridge to be high enough to allow any masts or rigging of any vessel to pass underneath.

 

In April 1870, a lecture by J. F. Holloway at East Side High School involved the presentation of a plan for a high level bridge, which included an estimated cost and a survey of traffic that crossed the Cuyahoga at Main, Center, Columbus and West Third streets (then Seneca Street). A year later, the city declared that it was “powerless” to undertake such a project. R. B. Dennis, of the Ohio House of Representatives, introduced a bill that authorized the building of the bridge. While it passed in the House, it failed in the Senate.

 

Advocates for the bridge had the support of the Cleveland Leader, while opponents had the support of the Cleveland Herald. The Herald warned that the city could not afford a debt of $2 million for the bridge.

 

A resolution was put forth to the City Council on April 18, 1871 to form a committee to select a bridge location, which was adopted on May 8. At that time, the U.S. Corps of Engineers noted a desire for a swing span for navigational purposes. A petition was also presented that called for two carriageways, streetcar tracks and sidewalks, signed by F. W. Pelton and 67 others. During the summer, surveys were conducted to determine the best route. One plan included the connection of Ohio Street (Central Avenue) to the east with Lorain Street to the west.

 

Note: Interestingly enough, one of the least preferred routes of the suggested was one that was later adopted by the >Lorain-Carnegie Bridge, a span that never carried its predicted traffic volumes and one that never carried rapid transit, even though it was designed for it.

 

A meeting held on April 22 contained traffic projections of 15,240 pedestrians and 4,671 teams of horses. A two-cent toll would be imposed. In January 1872, a bill was passed that granted permission to build the viaduct – a decision that was mocked by the Cleveland Herald.

 

A resolution was introduced on January 30 that proposed the railroad tracks be laid to the site to assist in the movement of construction materials. The bill for permission to build the viaduct had to be rewritten – which also included the measure to abandoned the Ohio Canal in the vicinity of the bridge. The “east siders” were opposed to the measure, but Judge Coffinberry argued in favor of the bridge, noting that the city was growing and that the existing spans were already inadequate. The new bill was adopted on April 27 – but left out the tolling authorization, which would be left up to the voters.

 

During this time, two new routes were surveyed, one from Superior Avenue and Water Street (West 9th Street) to Pearl (West 25th Street) and Franklin, and the other from Superior and Union Lane (West 10th Street) to Pearl (West 25th Street) and Detroit - second one was recommended and ultimately acted upon. In April, the proposal for the bridge was sent to popular vote, and it was approved 7,548 to 2,623. The estimated cost of the span was $759,328.78. But in January 18 of 1873, a protest signed by influential members of the city claimed that the cost was too high and that the bridge could be built for far less. A similar complaint was filed on February 11. Both had no effect.

 

On August 19, an ordinance authorizing an issue of $117,893 in bonds for land acquisition was defeated by a single vote. Citizens of the west side submitted a petition to the City Council for their reconsideration, which was signed by over 4,000. Ultimately, the push worked and land acquisition proceeded. On October 7, E. W. Ensign was awarded a contract for masonry construction with a bid of $512,720. Ensign was a Berea, Ohio quarry owner and contractor. Sherman and Flager constructed the masonry piers.

 

But even after $500,00 had been spent on construction, resolutions were submitted to abandon the project. From 1870 to 1878, petitions from the east side claimed that the taxes would be excessive. Petitions from the west side claimed that business would “deflect” to the east side. Injunctions and objections led to several bridge modifications. The first was the widening of the roadway, from 50 feet to 64 feet due to a petition on March 16, 1875. The rationale was that business houses could be built on each side of the stone arches. The change cost was $2.2 million, with the cost of the bridge alone amounting to just $1.6 million. Because of the change, additional bonds were needed and it went to the voters on May 4, 1876, which worked out in favor with a vote of 6,863 to 3,181.

 

On December 21, 1875, the City Council asked the Legislature to authorized the collection of tolls not to exceed three cents for a single team of horses and five cents for a double team of horses. A resolution submitted on April 18, 1876 by Horatio C. Ford asked that tolls be collected for only the first twenty years. Another resolution was filed on December 5, 1876 on the issue of tolls, but no action was taken. Construction on the Superior Viaduct began in March 1875 with the driving of timber piles 20 feet deep into the clay. The first blocks for the arches were laid on May 20. From the western approach, there were eight masonry arches of 83-foot span and two arches of 97.5-foot span. The masonry work was 1,382 feet in length and 72 feet in height. It required more than two million cubic feet of sandstone. As the arches were being completed, there was minor settling of two to five inches.

 

The center included an iron pivot swing span, 332 feet in length. The eastern approach featured a continuous plate girder bridge of three 162-foot spans, two 145-foot spans and one 160-foot span. The iron and swing spans were built by Claflin and Sheldon, while the iron railing was constructed by Lauderback and Company.

 

The Superior Viaduct was opened on December 27, 1878 at a cost of $1,574,921.32. The right-of-way alone cost $600,000. In the proceeding opening ceremony, the two proponents of the bridge, Henry Wood and Beldon Seymour, stood at opposite ends of the viaduct and walked towards the center where they shook hands. A parade that took 20 minutes to pass only added to the pomp of the opening day. Several years after the bridge was completed, the city attempted to open the river channel west of the center pier of the iron drawspan, but pier eight began to settle and the channel work was stopped. By 1909, the swing span was opened 3,600 times per year, or 300 times a month. It took four to six minutes to open or close.(1)

 

The Superior Viaduct was closed to traffic in 1918 after the Detroit-Superior Bridge opened. The viaduct was condemned in 1920 and two years later, the central river span was demolished with 150 pounds of dynamite.

 

Below: Photographs of the viaduct in relation to other spans and its environment.

 

 

 

(part 2)

 

Center Street Bridge

 

The Center Street Bridge is the only swing bridge in the region. The crossing was once part of the “Bridge War” that involved the Columbus Road Bridge, when that was donated to the city of Cleveland on April 18, 1836. To make matters worse for Ohio City, Cleveland demolished a portion of the Center Street Bridge in June so commerce would be forced to use Columbus Street and bypass Ohio City. In retribution, Ohio City residents rallied together, chanting “Two Bridges or None.” A group attempted to detonate black powder but this failed to take down the bridge. On October 31, a mob armed with guns and other improvised weapons damaged the Columbus Street Bridge, but was met with Cleveland Mayor John W. Willey and armed militiamen who soon seriously injured three men. A county sheriff arrived to end the violence and to make arrests. It took a court ruling to force two bridges across the Cuyahoga River.

 

The present swing span was constructed in 1901 with a main span length of 249.8 feet, affording a channel clearance width of 122 feet. The rim-bearing swing was constructed by the King Bridge Company of Cleveland, with L. B. and J. A. Smith Company acting as contractors for the substructure. Originally, the pivot was located in the middle of the channel, which was later moved to the north bank. The bridge closed on July 19, 2010 for a year-long repair project that included repairing the bridge deck, sidewalks and electrical and mechanical components. The $2.6 million project was awarded to Great Lakes Construction Company of Hinckley, Ohio in early May and was completed in June 2011.

 

 

 

Detroit-Superior Bridge

 

The Detroit-Superior Bridge is a 3,112-foot through arch bridge over the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. Connecting Detroit Avenue in the west side of the city to Superior Avenue in downtown, the crossing was built by the King Bridge Company from 1914 to 1917.

 

In function, it replaced the aging Superior viaduct that was dedicated December 27, 1878.

 

This bridge was covered in an .

 

 

Cleveland Union Terminal Viaduct

 

The Cleveland Union Terminal Viaduct was constructed for Terminal Tower. The Union Terminal served four railroads: New York Central, Nickel Plate, Baltimore & Ohio (after 1934), and Erie (after 1949). As part of the development, a  17-mile grade-separated passenger train right-of-way was developed from Collinwood in the east to Linndale on the west, crossing into the city on a 3,450-foot viaduct. It entered into the terminal via 12 underground platforms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Columbus Road Bridge

 

The Columbus Road crossing in the Flats is the fifth span at the site of Cleveland's first permanent bridge. It was also involved in the short lived "Bridge War." This bridge is currently scheduled for partial reconstruction due to advanced structural deterioration.

 

The Columbus Road crossing was covered in an earlier post.

 

 

No. 8: New York Central Lift Bridge

 

The New York Central Lift Bridge (Cuyahoga River Bridge No. 8), located in the Flats district, crosses the Cuyahoga between Columbus Road and Carter Road. The first crossing at that site was for the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad, later known as the “Big Four” when the line was extended to Indianapolis. When it was stretched further west to St. Louis, the railroad became known as the C. C. C. & St. L. The 1902 Scherzer Rolling Lift bridge featured a clear channel opening of 107 feet.

 

A contract for the construction of a lift span was awarded on November 3, 1950 and announced by Col. Herman W. Schull Jr., Buffalo District Engineer of the Army Corps of Engineers. The new span was designed by Howard, Needles, Tammen and Bergendoff. The $1.5 million contract included foundation work for the Bates & Rogers Construction Corporation of Chicago for $432,034 and the superstructure for the Mount Vernon Bridge Company of Ohio for $1,106,395, which included the machinery. The erection was handled by the McDowell Company of Cleveland. Electrical work was performed by Dingle-Clark. The cost of the entire span, including the planning and the removal of the old bridge, was projected to be near $2 million.

 

Under the River and Harbor Act of 1946, the federal government financed most of the cost of the new bridge as part of a $50 million river and harbor improvement project begun in 1937. The new vertical lift was set to replace the old bridge No. 8. The new bridge was designed to provide a horizontal opening of 200 feet. With such improvements, vessel sizes could increase from 540-foot long ships to 700-foot long vessels.

 

The new bridge was built upon 60 steel H piles. The lower ends of the piles were driven more than 100 feet below the surface of the river. The towers extended 160 feet into the air, Construction was delayed when the two 135 hp motors for the bridge were diverted to the Navy for defense needs. The bridge, delayed for six months, did not open until March 3, 1953. It received the American Institute of Steel Construction Award of Merit for the most beautiful bridge in its class.

 

 

Below: The New York Central Lift Bridge is to the bottom right.

 

 

Below: The New York Central Lift Bridge is at the top of the photograph.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below: Today's operator, operating to serve one customer in the Flats. A far cry from the bustling industries that were located in the valley.

 

 

 

 

No. 5: Big Four Railroad Bridge

 

The abandoned vertical lift span adjacent to the Carter Road Bridge was built for the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway, or the “Big Four.” In 1906, the “Big Four” was acquired by the New York Central, operating it as a separate entity until 1930. It then became a part of Penn Central in 1968 and then Conrail.

 

The first railroad crossing at that site, known as Cuyahoga River Bridge No. 5, was constructed in 1902 for the “Big Four” Railroad, and incorporated a Scherzer Rolling Lift.

 

At 10 AM on September 28, 1955, the new New York Central Bridge opened at a cost of $3 million. The new vertical lift span, which contained 1,410 tons of structural steel, increased the vertical clearance another 80 feet. The project received the American Institute of Steel Construction Award of Merit for the most beautiful bridge in its class. The electrical contractors were Dingle-Clark and the steel fabricators were McDowell Wellman. Under the River and Harbor Act of 1946, the federal government financed most of the cost of the new bridge as part of a $50 million river and harbor improvement project. The new crossing had a vertical clearance of 260 feet and a clear channel of 200 feet, and the lifting mechanism was worked by two 135 horsepower motors at the top of the two girders.

(part 3)

 

Carter Road Bridge

 

The Carter Road crossing over the Cuyahoga River in the Flats was constructed from 1939 to 1940, and replaced the lower and middle West Third Street Bridge that were demolished as part of the Terminal Tower complex construction and the Collision Bend Cut 5A project.

 

Carter Road, named after Lorenzo Carter, Cleveland’s first permanent settler, has long been the site of a crossing over the Cuyahoga River. The first span was constructed in 1853, but collapsed just four years later after it was overloaded with cattle. A new replacement was built, replaced in 1888 by an iron swing bridge with a pivot span of 180 feet and one fixed span of 105 feet. The fourth bridge was a Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge that was completed in 1903, the first of its kind in the city. It featured a double-leaf drawspan 138 feet in length, with a 23-foot wide roadway and two six-foot sidewalks.

 

In 1939, a public hearing was held in regards to an application by the city for approval by council of plans to construct a new bridge for Carter Road over the Cuyahoga River as part of the $5.5 million Streamlining Project that sought to eliminate several dangerous curves for boats and to widen the navigation channel. A new crossing of the Cuyahoga River at Carter Road would be sufficient for those requirements and would replace the aging lower and middle West Third Street Bridge. Specifically, the project was referred to as the Collision Bend Cut 5A project.

 

A vertical lift span was designed by Wilbur, Watson and Associates. Bids were received on January 12, 1939 and divided into 12 subitems. A $158,000 contract for the caissons on the substructure was awarded to the low-bidder Lombardo Bros. Construction Company of Cleveland. Part of that contract was sublet to the Western Foundation Company of Chicago for $110,000. Superstructure contracts were awarded on April 12 to the Mt. Vernon Bridge Company, to be erected by the Bass Construction Company. Construction was scheduled to be complete by May 15, 1940.

 

On February 20, violent protests by two councilmen from southwest wards held up a city council approval of the purchase of $150,000 worth of property along the Cuyahoga River for the river straightening and Carter Road Bridge project. The councilmen, Ray C. Miller and Harold H. Waldenmaier, stated that the new bridge was inadequate from the south.

 

Concrete piers were poured, each comprising of six 30-inch steel cylinders 140 feet in length, supplemented by steel batter piles and a steel pile enclosure.

 

A December 6 account of the bridge construction noted that it was well ahead of schedule, and that the north tower was almost ready for the installation of the lifting equipment. The south tower construction had just started. By February 1, 1940, erection of the steel to form the towers was well ahead of schedule, and the joining of the towers with the Pratt through truss was completed in mid-February.

 

On March 4, the Republican Floor Leader Herman H. Finkle halted all consideration of the Cuyahoga River improvement projects by the city council finance committee, pending an investigation of the contracts involved with the substructure of the new Carter Road span. Finkle asserted that Lombardo profited $48,000 on the subletting of the contract, and that there was a collusion. Lombardo replied that it had lost some money on the sub-contract because it had to pay more for some materials than it was getting for them from the Western Foundation Company. George B. Sowers, consulting engineer on the Cuyahoga River Streamlining Project, stated that Finkle was given misinformation and that he was “deliberately” making trouble for the city.

 

The Carter Road span opened two weeks behind schedule in June 1940, and featured a 220-foot wide channel with a 201 foot clear channel. The Carter Road Bridge was rehabilitated in 1989. A 2005 inspection of the bridge, however, noted that while the bridge was in good condition, its machinery and electrical equipment was outdated and that many moving parts exhibited severe wear and tear or deterioration. The counterweights suffered so much deterioration that they required outright replacement.

 

On March 16, 2009, the city passed an ordnance that allowed the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency to seek funds in the approximate amount of $2.5 million that would go towards the rehabilitation of the Carter Road Bridge. The preliminary engineering was estimated at $270,000. The project would be financed with 80% from Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds, with Cleveland providing the non-federal share of construction at $446,000. The project wold address counterweight and cable issues, and see the improvement of lighting and signal systems for navigational traffic, the installation of new safety gates, paint touch up at the salt zone level, and the proper seating of the bridge and the installation of new approaches. The rehabilitation project began in May 2010.

 

Below: The Big Four Railroad Bridge is the rust-stained span next to the blue Carter Road Bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below: Photographs of the Big Four Railroad Bridge and the Carter Road Bridge from Louise Taft Cawood, July 1986, Historic American Engineering Record, National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(part 4)

 

Eagle Avenue Bridge

 

The Eagle Avenue Bridge was the first lift span to be completed in Cleveland, crossing the Cuyahoga and connecting to a viaduct that rose out of the Flats and into downtown. The lift span operated until 2005 when the viaduct was demolished.

 

The Eagle Avenue Bridge and Viaduct replaced the middle West Third Street Bridge, which featured a double Scherzer lift. Opened in 1908, it featured a channel opening of 116.2 feet. Financed by the Van Sweringen brothers as part of the Union Terminal project, the Eagle Avenue Bridge was designed to funnel traffic from the Flats up to downtown, which was on significant elevation.

 

Waddell-Hardesty Company of New York were the designing engineers, headed by F. L. Gorman, while Spencer, White & Prentiss of Detroit were the general contractors, headed by Noah H. Suloff. The resident engineer was G. Brooks Earnest. Construction was completed by McMyler Interstate of Bedford, Ohio and Walsh Construction Company, with steel sourced from Strobel Steel Construction Company. The first steel was erected on January 30, 1928 and last rivet was placed in the bridge in November.

 

The bridge’s ownership was transferred from the Sweringens to the city on January 8, 1929 and the Eagle Avenue Bridge opened to traffic in 1931. It was the first vertical lift span in Cleveland and the sixth in the nation.

 

Cracks were discovvered in the lifting mechanism in May 1987 which required a six week closure. A $2.5 million repair project contract was awarded in September 1989 to the American Bridge Company, and was to be completed in August 1990, but did not reopen until late August 1991 at a cost of more than $3 million. In 2005, the Eagle Avenue viaduct was demolished as it had deteriorated. The lift bridge was allowed to remain intact, however, there is no current use for the disconnected bridge. The city of Cleveland proposed the reconstruction of West 3rd Street from Stones Levee to Commercial Road Hill, and the replacement of the Commercial Road Hill Bridge at a cost of $37 million.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below: Selected construction photographs from Walsh Construction. Many more can be found at the article gallery.

Viaduct construction at the Stones Levee Bridge photographed February 22, 1928 by Walsh Construction. Sourced from the Cleveland State University Michael Schwartz Library Special Collections.

 

 

Below: West 3rd Street approach photographed March 3, 1928 by Walsh Construction. Sourced from the Cleveland State University Michael Schwartz Library Special Collections.

 

 

Below: The lift span being connected with a Pennsylvania truss. Photographed August 20, 1928 by Walsh Construction. Sourced from the Cleveland State University Michael Schwartz Library Special Collections.

 

 

Below: An aerial from Terminal Tower, photographed June 29, 1929 by Walsh Construction. Sourced from the Cleveland State University Michael Schwartz Library Special Collections.

 

 

Lorain-Carnegie Bridge

 

The Lorain-Carnegie Bridge spans the Cuyahoga River valley and was the second vehicular high-level span to be completed.

 

The first push for a third high level viaduct to cross the Cuyahoga River came as early as 1916, prior to the completion of the Detroit-Superior Bridge. While bond issues were passed, the development of World War I halted any development work on a bridge. A 1924 City Planning Commission report, however, recommended the immediate construction of a viaduct. The report indicated that due to the construction of the Union Terminal complex, that such a viaduct could become a major roadway moving traffic from downtown to Shaker Square. In 1927, a Citizens Committee was formed with 15 members to make recommendations to the county regarding construction.

 

In November, two bonds were passed towards the construction of the bridge – one for the structure and the other for the land. The Chamber of Commerce requested that the bridge piers not interfere with any future widening of the Cuyahoga River, and the City Plan Committee noted that there could be traffic and transportation distribution issues. The bridge was designed by Wilbur J. Watson, a consulting engineer who was known for blending art and science into cohesive designs, Frank Walker and Harry Weeks, both architects. Two decks were proposed. The upper deck would carry a 60-foot roadway and two 7-foot sidewalks, while the lower level would carry two rapid transit tracks and two 18-foot truck lanes.

 

Construction began in 1930. Concrete piles were used under all piers except for the river crossing, which relied on timber piles. The footing were drilled down to a depth of 38 feet below river level on average. The bottom chord of the trusses were curved for aesthetic purposes, which only slightly increased the cost of the bridge. Approximately 71,000 yards of concrete was poured and 13,000 tons of structural silicon steel was used in the construction project. The silicon steel was strong with a high copper content, and was overbuilt in anticipation of the lower deck being used. Sandstone railings were used, requiring 10,000 tons of rock that were quarried in Amherst. Four ornamental pylons, symbolizing transportation progress, were built at the ends of the bridge. The 40-foot high Art Deco sculptures were designed by Frank Walker of Walker and Weeks and built by Henry Hering of New York. Cutters did all of the straight-line work required, and carvers sculptured the statues and the associated details. The pylons were referred to as the “Guardians of Traffic.”

 

The bridge was completed at a cost of $4 million and was dedicated on November 9, 1932. Traffic was initially heavy, with congestion almost always a concern on the western end of the span. Further improvements on Lorain were proposed but never implemented, partially due to the construction of the Main Avenue Bridge and then the Innerbelt. The only work to occur post-construction was the movement of storefronts further back from the property line in anticipation of widening.

 

In 1976, Albert Porter, a county engineer, desired to widen the bridge and proposed to tear down the iconic pylons. When people protested, Porter became heated with his comments and was quoted as stating, “Those columns are monstrosities and should be torn down and forgotten. There is nothing particularly historic about any one of them. We’re not running a May Show here.” Porter was also one of the strongest proponents for the construction of an interstate through Shaker Lakes. Eric Johannesen, a preservationist for the Western Reserve Historical Society, submitted an application to get the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge listed on the National Register of Historic Places, namely for the statues. The application cited that it was Cleveland’s “only example of monumental sculpture from the 1920s and 1930s.” The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places later on October 8 – a rare feat since the span was less than 50 years of age.

 

The Lorain-Carnegie Bridge was closed for three years beginning on October 1, 1980 for major $22 million rehabilitation project that involved repaving the bridge, replacing the sidewalks and cleaning the statues with crushed walnut shells. The sandstone railings were replaced with steel-reinforced concrete designed to look like the sandstone it replaced.

 

In 1983, the county renamed the bridge after former Clevelander Bob Hope’s father, Harry, who was part of the stoneworking team on the bridge. The renaming received mixed reviews as Harry was part of a team who was involved in the pylon construction. Bob Hope also did not show up for the bridge renaming ceremony, which irked many.

 

In the early 21st century, the roadway was resurfaced, and steel the size of pinheads was used as an agent to remove rust from the metal underneath the bridge. Damaged metal was replaced and the entire bridge was repainted. In addition, four-foot bike lanes were added. The project cost $20 million. A $4.5 million project that began in May 2012 involved the construction of a shared bike path and a new broad sidewalk to cater to the growing cycling community in Cleveland. The new path was a compromise between cycling advocates, who wanted a path along the new Innerbelt Bridge, and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), who noted that the path would be too expensive and too close to fast moving traffic. As an alternative, ODOT pitched a path for the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge to replace the bike lanes. The project involved the installation of a 14.5-foot sidewalk on the north side of the bridge, separated from the road by a 42-inch high concrete barrier. Two of the bridge’s four lanes were narrowed from 12 feet to 11 feet, and the two outside lanes were marked by sharrows, which indicated that the lane is a heavily trafficked bicycle route and that cars should share the road with cyclists. Narrowed streets on both ends resulted in shorter crossings for pedestrians as part of a traffic calming measure.

 

Below: The Lorain-Carnegie Bridge is the green and pink colored high-level span in the center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below: Bike path construction.

 

(part 5)

 

Nickel Plate Road High Level Bridge

 

The Nickel Plate Road High Level Bridge over the Cuyahoga was constructed in 1917 for the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, otherwise known as the Nickel Plate Road. The first crossing of the river at that location was a swing bridge with a pier in the center of the river. In the 1800s, the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad extended its line through Cleveland, and in 1882, a wrought-iron viaduct with alterate tower spans and intermediate spans of Fink truss design, supported on sandstone masonry piers, carried two tracks across the Flats. The viaduct was designed by J. A. Latcher, Chief Engineer, W. M. Hughes, Bridge Engineer, and W. D. Boch, Substructure Engineer.

 

A  more substantial span was needed by the 1910s due to larger and heavier trains that were being incorporated. Designed by the Chief Engineer, E. E. Hart, the second crossing of the valley was constructed in 1917 and consisted of six deck and through riveted truss spans carrying two tracks for a total length of 3,010 feet. A 167-foot Scherzer Rolling Lift was incorporated to raise the span for ships passing through along the river. The engineers were Hardesty and Hanover, and the railroad company engineers were R. T. Hewitt, H. H. Whitmore and E. F. Marley.

 

In 1957, the Scherzer lift was replaced with a 267-foot vertical lift to increase the horizontal clearance of the river.

 

The Nickel Plate was merged into the Norfolk and Western in 1964, which was merged into the Southern that formed the Norfolk Southern in 1982.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Innerbelt Bridge

 

The Innerbelt Bridge carries Interstate 90 over the Cuyahoga River via seven cantilever truss arches. It replaced the Central Viaduct. Currently, two new Innerbelt Bridges of the rarely-used delta frame design are being erected to replace a structurally deficient, fracture-critical bridge.

 

 

The Innerbelt Bridge was covered in an earlier post.

 

West 3rd Street Bridge

 

The upper West 3rd Street Bridge is located in the Flats and was constructed from 1939 to 1940 as part of the Cuyahoga River Streamlining Project.

 

 

In 1939, a public hearing was held in regards to an application by the city for approval by council of plans to construct a new bridge for upper West 3rd Street over the Cuyahoga River as part of the $5.5 million Streamlining Project that sought to eliminate several dangerous curves for boats and to widen the navigation channel. A new crossing of the Cuyahoga River at the upper West 3rd Street Bridge would be sufficient for those requirements.

 

The foundations for the new bridge were completed in mid-December 1939. By February 1, 1940, one tower was finished and wooden piling had been driven to support the lift span that was being erected. After being joined together, the skeleton span was raised to the top of the towers for completion, and the temporary pilings were removed prior to an annual ice and flood event along the river. Work on removing the temporary upper West 3rd Street Bridge and demolishing the lower West 3rd Street Bridge was completed between mid-May and July 1.

 

On June 4, 2004, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) awarded Walsh Construction of Chicago a $16.8 million contract for the rehabilitation of the West Third Street Bridge. In November, the crossing was closed to traffic, with a scheduled completion date of May 31, 2006. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) covered 80% of the cost and the city 20%. ODOT oversaw the construction, while the city bid out the renovation’s engineering and design to West Carroll Bergmann and construction to Walsh Construction of Chicago.

 

But the bridge had problems soon after its renovation. In 2005, the bridge towers were stripped of their paint in preparation to be fully painted, but Walsh only sandblasted and primed the towers because workers had to replace a concrete floor and girders at the top of each tower. On March 6, 2006, it was discovered that the lift cables were three feet too short, so the bridge could not be lowered to its lower position. The bridge opening on December 29 was delayed while awaiting installation of safety gates at each end of the span. It was then announced that the bridge would be closed on April 19 for 60 days for painting.

 

In January 2007, a cable broke, sending a traffic barrier on the north side of the bridge down. One of the masts in a tower snapped later that spring, requiring $45,000 in immediate work. The span finally opened to traffic on January 11. But yearly inspections afterwards found wires hanging from electrical junction boxes and jerky movements when the span lowered. Fuses also repeatedly blew when the span was being put down, and the brake pads showed excessive wear. In addition, the bridge was primed but never painted after the renovation, leading to early rust on the bridge. The bridge was scheduled to be closed on April 19 for repainting, but Walsh wanted $4.4 million to complete the painting, noting that the original contract was more complicated than envisioned. ODOT agreed but said that it could be done for less than Walsh requested. Walsh subsequently sued ODOT.

 

The bridge was closed for a few days on June 9 due to problems with the lifting mechanism.

 

In July 2008, at the request of ODOT, Cuyahoga County engineer’s office took over the painting project after Walsh and ODOT settled the claim, and Walsh agreed not to do any further work to the span. The county determined that there was not enough time to seek more bids and make sure that funding is available in order for the bridge to be painted for the spring. On October 15, 2009, two bids – one for $5.5 million and $6.7 million, were received for the painting project. ODOT estimated the project at $4.8 million. Another bidding round was held, closing on December 15 when bids from $4.875 million to $7 million were put in. A contract was soon awarded to APBN Inc. of Campbell, Ohio.

 

The West 3rd Street Bridge closed on April 15, 2010 for repainting, and reopened to traffic in late September. The total cost of the restoration was $28.57 million, well over budget.

 

In October 2011, the bridge was closed as parts to repair the bridge were in short supply. The cost of repairing the bridge also escalated, from $800,000 to $1.4 million, with work including the replacing of aerial power cables, correcting an electrical system and refurbishing the brakes on the lifts. The city, by April 2012, had spent $400,000 with TranSystems Corp. to analyze the bridge and to recommend fixes.

 

 

 

 

No. 19: Erie Lackawanna Railroad Bridge

 

The Erie Lackawanna Railroad Bridge crossed the Cuyahoga River just south of Mahoning Avenue and north of the now demolished Jefferson Avenue Bridge. The site was home to one of the oldest railroad bridges in the city, dating back to 1850, which collapsed in the 1900s due to a train wreck. It was replaced with a swing span, and then a jackknife. It was located within the American Steel & Wire division of U.S. Steel Corporation.

 

Plans to replace the span dated to the 1949 when the Chamber of Commerce urged the replacement of antiquated spans at the request of Cleveland industrial interests. It resurfaced in the 1950s as part of the Army Corps of Engineers program of replacing the bridges over the Cuyahoga in an attempt to improve river navigation and to allow 700-foot vessels. A contract was approved for engineering and design work for a new Erie Lackawanna Railroad Bridge in June 1963.(2) The new proposed bridge would eliminate the center pier and widen the channel from 117 feet to 210 feet, providing 98 feet of vertical clearance. It would be single tracked, down from twin tracks. The estimated cost of the project was $9 million to $10 million.

 

The closing of the Erie Ore dock and the bankruptcy of the Erie Railroad made the replacement unnecessary. Bridge No. 19, as it was referred to, was later removed.

 

B&O Bridge

 

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) Bridge is located just south of the demolished Newburgh and South Shore Railroad Bridge and north of the Clark Freeway Bridge.

 

The Scherzer rolling lift bridge, constructed in 1906, served the industrial flats along the lake and river and proceeded south towards the American Steel and Wire Company’s Central Furnace. The steel was sourced from the American Bridge Company Toledo, Ohio facility. The double-tracked span featured an overall length of 205 feet with a lift span of 160 feet, and featured two General Electric 50 hp motors that were replaced in 1950 with more powerful variants.

 

 

 

There are, of course, other bridges along the Cuyahoga River. I have not even sorted through piles of historical photographs and sketches of the now demolished Clark Avenue Bridge, or the Jefferson Avenue crossing, or the Main Street span. Several of the freeway bridges have been omitted, as are those within the LTV complex for security purposes. While this may serve as an overview, it is the beginning of coverage of important and notable crossings in northern Ohio.

 

(This is a five post collection. Scroll up to the beginning for sequential order.)

Now THIS is a thread!  Well done!

 

Wow!

Great stuff. Some minor details about the railroad bridges, but overall some great info. I have pictures of some of the  railroad bridges that preceded the bridges shown above. If there's any interest in seeing them I'll dig for the photos.

Ok Sherman, you are freaking me out a bit here - this is several times now that you've posted an awesome post on UO based on something that I've been obsessed with.  During the Summer of 2012 I've spent most of my free time researching bridges over the Cuyahoga.  I've just found your post now before heading off to bed from a very long day at work.  Will read in full this weekend and add what I've learned in my research!  Very awesome....

Thanks, Sherman--a good read about a great city.  Your combination of written/graphic worked well in providing outsiders (such as myself) with an understanding and appreciation of the Cuyahoga's historical importance and present-day significance to Cleveland.

The third paragraph of "Detroit Superior Bridge" got cut off oddly:

This bridge was covered in an .

Congratulations on an excellent thread!