Cleveland's Detroit Bridge: Return the Tram

The Veterans memorial bridge in Cleveland was recently open for tours as the city decides how to re-use the lower level. Scars of the former trams lay beside more recent utility lines laid across the bridge.

We had great discussion with one of the volunteers (s/o Tyler the Architecture Grad) around what the future of the bridge will be. We talked concerns around the most efficient use of land and the infrastructure needed even for the green-space. We talked about the planned green space on W. 25th (very nearby) and what role this redundancy would play for the Ohio City and Downtown area.  It is a long bridge with no "escape" routes once you are on the span; are we going to need security? This is going to be an expensive project either route and we cannot allow sticker shock to prevent access to downtown from Ohio City. If Ohio City and Downtown are serious about becoming economic hubs (and touting in the case of Downtown 3.0) then we need to allow people to live in either of these areas without car dependency.

Above is a former senior apartment building from what I can tell from the county auditor site. Franklin Circle was a "circle" because it was a tram intersection for Franklin Blvd. from the Detroit Ave. Bridge that exited via tunnel right before Franklin Blvd. An immediate example of how a tram could encourage repair and redevelopment to the neighborhood.

We have a real opportunity to invest in our future by returning this service to Cleveland, one neighborhood at a time. Do not let complaints regarding "it's too expensive" or "it would be too complicated" deter us from providing easy access to our economic hubs. Here are a few final pictures from the tour: