| Key Facts |
| Bridge Name | Facility Carried / Feature Intersected | Location | Structure Type | Construction Date / Builder or Contractor |
| Carter Road Bridge | Carter Road Over Cuyahoga River | Cleveland: Cuyahoga County, Ohio | Metal Riveted Parker Through Truss, Vertical Lift | 1939 By: Mount Vernon Bridge Company of Mount Vernon, Ohio |
| Technical Facts |
| Structure Length | Roadway Width | Navigation Vertical Clearance | Main Spans | Approach Spans |
| 559 Feet (170.4 Meters) | 42 Feet (12.8 Meters) | 98 Feet (29.9 Meters) | 1 | 9 Plate Girder |
This bridge is next to the Newburg and Southshore Railroad Bridge.
The alterations made to the Carter Road Bridge bridge, which is one of a number of vertical lift bridges in Cleveland, were so severely invasive, that the project really qualifies as reconstructive rehabilitation rather than a preservation project. The entire main riveted truss span appears to have been demolished and replaced with a bolted truss span. This modern span has the same overall appearance as the original span, but does not use rivets for the connections, nor does it use any built-up members. These alterations might not seem critical to a casual viewer, but anyone who has worked with historic bridges will quickly notice this, and find the bridge less appealing visually. Only the towers appear to contain original materials.
Certainly, what was done to this structure was better than outright demolition. Indeed, preservation is often about compromise, and trying to find a solution that fits both parties. Perhaps this was the only option available here. However, it would be tragic to see such an invasive project done to all of Cleveland's historic bridges. At least a couple of the city's vertical lift bridges deserve a genuine restoration project that retains as many original materials as possible, and replaces any damaged parts with replicas. For instance, a riveted built-up beam that was not able to be repaired would be replaced with an exact replica... built-up and using rivets.
Be sure to review the HAER page for the bridge, as it contains a narrative history, and photos of the bridge prior to alteration.
Finally, the HSR rating below reflects the bridge as it is today, not prior to alteration. The rating is low, given the number of vertical lifts in Cleveland and the nation that retain original truss spans.
