Cleveland's Once Grand Double-Decker Bridge Now Invites Tourists To Wander With Glistening City Views

At first glance, you might think that what makes Cleveland special is its skyline or its art museums — after all, the Cleveland Museum of Art is one of the best free museums in America. But spend a day wandering, and you'll discover some of Cleveland's most interesting sites and history in repurposed factories, multicultural neighborhoods shaped by immigrants, and quiet green spaces tucked along the river or outside of the bustling downtown. For example, many visitors overlook the Gardenview Horticultural Park, a secret garden park with themed and lush landscapes. Staying downtown, though, there's a gem that you might pass without thinking twice about (partly because its hidden level is only open for touring a few times a year): the Detroit-Superior Bridge, also known as the Veterans Memorial Bridge.

The Detroit-Superior Bridge spans the Cuyahoga River, and though thousands of people cross over its upper level each day, they might not realize that just below is a second level, which has been out of use since 1954. Of course, you're free to wander across the bridge for views over Cleveland's skyline any time of year, with dedicated lanes for cyclists and pedestrians on the bridge's main deck. The lower level is where the fun lies, though. It was originally where the city's now-abandoned streetcar system passed through, but since being decommissioned, you can only visit it through special tours on select dates each year (for now).

The Detroit-Superior Bridge, in spite of its discreet lower tunnel, has been a Cleveland icon for over a century. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was opened around 1918. It was the city's first high-level bridge and was once among the most massive steel and concrete bridges worldwide. The double-decker design was intended to carry cars and foot traffic above and streetcars below. At the time, Cleveland had a pretty extensive network of streetcars, but they began to get phased out by the 1950s due to being underfunded. Naturally, the streetcar level of the bridge fell out of use, and the city hasn't found a new purpose for it to this day.

It's strange to think that such a pivotal bridge for the city has a whole level that sits there every day without anyone entering it. However, there are discussions about potentially reopening it for pedestrians and bikes, with the city receiving $7 million federal dollars in 2024 to make a proposal for the bridge's lower deck, Bloomberg reported. "This would make an incredible connector between east and west over the river, from downtown to Ohio City for bicyclists and pedestrians, and it would also make an interesting space to linger in as a park in the sky," Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne told Bloomberg. For the time being, though, it only offers periodic public tours.

Seeing the lower level of the Detroit-Superior Bridge requires careful timing. Tours are offered by Take-a-Hike Tours from June through September every Friday at noon. You need to register in advance and sign a waiver before, but the experience is free (though donations are welcome). Additionally, the county hosts the Rediscover Veterans Memorial Bridge Tour, which takes place on a weekend in June. This event is self-guided and also free, focusing on arts programming hosted in the lower tunnel. In 2024, for example, the event included soundscape installations, sculptures, and live performances.

There's something almost eerie about visiting the bridge's lower deck. Though it's clean, you can see the remnants of old streetcar tracks and lanes, and while light filters in through the arched walls, its closed top makes it duskier. It's easy to feel transported into a movie — the lower deck was, after all, a setting in Marvel's "The Avengers" movie.

Getting to the bridge's east side (where the Friday tours start) is about a 20-minute drive from the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Before crossing over, consider stopping at The Arcade, a historic shopping center with vintage elegance, about a 15-minute walk from the bridge's entrance.