Getting over the Cuyahoga River during rush hour was a challenge met early in the 20th Century. These two photographs illustrate a major improvement in efficiency in the history of Cleveland.
The first photograph, (June 1912), is of the old Superior Viaduct, (built in 1878), in operation showing a traffic back up that likely backed well into downtown Cleveland during rush hour, as a boat passed up or down the Cuyahoga River. The backup here resembles many regular backups on many modern limited access highways in America today. (Image provided by the Cleveland State University Library.)
The old Superior Viaduct, (built in 1878), in operation showing a traffic back up in June 1912, that likely backed well into downtown Cleveland during rush hour. This for a boat passing up or down the Cuyahoga River. The backup here resembles many regular backups on many modern limited access highways in America today. (Photo Cleveland State University Library)To remedy this the Detroit Superior Bridge was built, a 3,112-foot-long (949 m), world-class artifact. (At the time of its completion, the bridge was the largest steel and concrete reinforced bridge in the world.) It opened to traffic in 1918.
(Photo Louis Szakacs)
