On June 22, 2019 – the Cuyahoga County’s Public Works Department showed off the lower deck of the Veterans Memorial Bridge (aka Detroit-Superior Bridge) during its one-day-a-year tour of the streetcar/subway line and station. This level of the bridge, built in 1918, hasn't been used since 1954 when streetcars were discontinued.
The accompanying video features sweeping, 360 degree views of the bridge's lower deck created with a special, 360 degree video camera.
The 2019 tours included two amazing sound-and-light installations by the U.K.-based collective known as Squidsoup. Funded by the Cleveland Foundation through its Creative Fusion global art program, the $25,000 Squidsoup project consisted of two arrays of digitally programmed lights strung on cables like glowing, colorful pearls. Kent State University’s Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative coordinated the project in collaboration with Squidsoup.
In the “Ascendance’’ installation (which is seen in this video), Squidsoup strung vertical curtains of twinkling lights from the bridge's upper deck which visitors could walk through. The lights blinked and pulsed in time with electronic music.
Another arrangement, “Cuyahoga Flow,’’ (also seen in this video) occupied the dark, east end of the bridge’s lower level. The artists arranged strands of lights on the bridge deck, simulating the various turns of the Cuyahoga River.
The free event was part of a series remembering the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River catching fire which ultimately led to the formation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help cleanup other waterways across America.
To see another video from this tour, read 360° VIDEO: CLEveland Veterans Memorial Bridge – Detroit-Superior Bridge Subway Level with Colored Lights.
View and purchase artwork of CLEveland area landmarks by local artist Mark Madere here.
See the gear and software we use to create our videos and photos: http://HOTonCLE.com/Gear
Have you ever toured the subway level of the Veterans Memorial Bridge? What did you like best about the tour? Please share your experience with a comment, below.
(Video: Mark Madere | SpectraLight Photography)
