Planners envision the enclosed lower level of the Detroit-Superior Bridge as a half-mile pedestrian and bicycle connector, gathering space and performance venue that brings Cleveland together.

Yet to transform the space -- which historically served as a thoroughfare for streetcars traveling between downtown and Ohio City -- it first needs to be made more accessible. Currently the entrances are difficult to find and there is no signage.

Accessibility will be one focus of a Transportation for Liveable Communities (TLCI) study by the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative (CUDC). The CUDC was recently awarded a $75,000 TLCI grant for the planning and development study, and is currently raising matching funds to get the project underway. The group hopes to eventually open the bridge to the public year-round.

"What would it take to make the lower level of the bridge a great space for the public?" asks David Jurca, Urban Designer with the CUDC. "That's the question we'll be trying to answer through our planning process."

Barriers to the bridge's redevelopment include lack of handicap accessibility, lack of amenities such as benches, public art and viewing platforms, and the need for safety features such as retention walls to address natural flooding.

Yet Jurca cautions that planners intend to leave the bridge's historic features mostly as is. "As a public space, we need to ensure it functions well for most people, yet we don't want to make it dull or lose its edge," he says. "Part of the appeal of the space is the sense of being off limits, and we need to retain that."

As an example, he cites the fact that parts of the walkway have metal grates that allow passers-by to peer straight down to the Cuyahoga River hundreds of feet below. "Some people are uncomfortable with that, while others find it thrilling."

The CUDC will also complete a market study to determine how the project could create spin-off development opportunities in surrounding neighborhoods.

In addition to serving as a weather-resistant connector between downtown and Ohio City, planners hope that the project can help "bridge" the great east-west divide.

"The bridge is a metaphorical connection between the two sides of the river," says Jurca. "The best part is no one owns it, so it's a neutral space."

Source: David Jurca
Writer: Lee Chilcote