Detroit-Superior Bridge

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Detroit-Superior Bridge
The Detroit-Superior Bridge from west bank of the Flats
Carries	US 6 US 20 US 42 OH 3 (unsigned)
Crosses	Cuyahoga River
Locale	Cleveland, Ohio
Design	Compression arch suspended-deck bridge
Total length	3,112 foot (949 meter)
Height	196 feet (60 meters)
Clearance below	96 feet (29 meters)
Beginning date of construction	1914
Completion date	1918
Coordinates	41°29′38″N 81°42′13″W / 41.493843, -81.70365 (Detroit-Superior Bridge)Coordinates: 41°29′38″N 81°42′13″W / 41.493843, -81.70365 (Detroit-Superior Bridge)

The Detroit-Superior Bridge in 1978

The Detroit-Superior Bridge (officially known as the Veterans Memorial Bridge) is a 3,112 foot (949 meter) long compression arch suspended-deck 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 (the first was the Old Superior Viaduct and the second the Central Viaduct, also built by the King Company). At its completion, the bridge was the largest steel and concrete reinforced bridge in the world.

The bridge has 96 feet (29 meters) of clearance above the river and rises to 196 feet (60 meters) above the river the peak of the central span. The bridge has an upper level for road traffic and a lower level (intended for streetcars) that has been closed since streetcar operations ceased in 1954. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 18, 1974.

The bridge and subway station are open to the public for tours a few times per year, typically around Memorial Day and Labor Day. Self-guided tours are free of charge.^[1]