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Description:
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Originally named the Covington - Cincinnati Suspension Bridge, the bridge was renamed for its architect, John Augustus Roebling (1806-1869) in 1983. The same year the bridge was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Construction began under Roebling in 1856. After numerous delays, the bridge opened to pedestrian traffic on December 2, 1866 and to vehicular traffic on New Years Day 1867. The bridge boasts a span of 1057 feet from tower to tower. These massive pylons are constructed of granite and rise 230 feet above the water. The pylon's rounded arches recall Romanesque design. The bridge's original construction called for cables, designed by Roebling, 12 1/3 inches in diameter. A second set of cables was added in 1895-1896 to support the weight of streetcar tracks. During this renovation the towers underwent some modification. The original balustrades and turrets were removed and replaced with rounded pier caps. Recent restoration to the bridge has restored the original features. Entrances to the bridge were raised and extended in 1916-1918. The original wooden roadway, which often caught fire due to oil spills, was replaced in the mid-1950s with the steel grid still present on the bridge today. The Roebling Suspension Bridge was painted blue in 1976 to commemorate Cincinnati's Bicentennial. And in 1984 lights were added to the bridge further highlighting it in the Cincinnati Skyline. |
