Rocky River in Cuyahoga County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Detroit Avenue Bridge

Photographed By Christopher Busta-Peck, April 12, 2009

1. Detroit Avenue Bridge Marker

Inscription. The fourth bridge to span the Rocky River was opened from Rocky River to Lakewood in 1910. Its outstanding features were its twin unreinforced concrete arches of 280 feet, a world record at the time. It was the first long concrete arch bridge to be built using steel truss forms, rather than wood, and the last one not to have reinforced arches. The overall length was 708 feet.

The bridge was listed as one of the most beautiful concrete bridges in America and aided the development of the lands to the west of the Rocky River.

Due to deterioration of the bridge, it was demolished in 1980.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Bridges & Viaducts. A significant historical year for this entry is 1910.

Location. 41° 28.983′ N, 81° 49.963′ W. Marker is in Rocky River, Ohio, in Cuyahoga County. Marker is on Lake Road north of Detroit Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Rocky River OH 44116, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Cowan Pottery (approx. 0.4 miles away); Site of Colonel John Bradstreet's Disaster (approx. 1.7 miles away); Oldest Stone House (approx. 1.9 miles away); Lakewood Park (approx. 2 miles away); Lakewood Women Get the Vote

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(approx. 2.1 miles away); Rockport Cemetery of Pioneer Days (approx. 2.2 miles away); Dr. Jared Potter Kirtland (approx. 2.2 miles away); A Modern-Day Exodus (approx. 2½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rocky River.

Detroit Avenue Bridge Marker location image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Christopher Busta-Peck, April 12, 2009

2. Detroit Avenue Bridge Marker location

The parking lot in the foreground used to be the bridge deck. The tablet on the right or one like it used to be on the east end of the bridge.

The remains of the old bridge image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Christopher Busta-Peck, April 12, 2009

3. The remains of the old bridge

Office buildings have been built on the remains of the bridge structure, which has been considerably altered. The basic lines of the structure remain.

The Detroit Avenue Bridge image. Click for full size.

Historic American Engineering Record, 1971

4. The Detroit Avenue Bridge

The bridge, looking east image. Click for full size.

Historic American Engineering Record, 1976

5. The bridge, looking east

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on April 18, 2009, by Christopher Busta-Peck of Shaker Heights, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,052 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on April 18, 2009, by Christopher Busta-Peck of Shaker Heights, Ohio.