Cutting The Ribbon on Cleveland's New Bridge

© Stuart Pearl 2013 - Click on Image to Enlarge for Slideshow

As a photographer I enjoy looking for interesting light when I visit downtown Cleveland. These are the unique shadows and highlights that create special urban compositions. It's a challenge to create something really different that will make people stop and consider the image before them.  I want to show something they haven't seen before.

 

Sometimes the light is uninspiring.  There's nothing ARTISTIC about the image.  The picture is just a snapshot....a shot of record.  Such pictures can be very important though, freezing an historic moment in time.  That was the case on Nov. 7, 2013 when the ribbon was cut on Cleveland's new Westbound Innerbelt Bridge.  A little bit of history unfolded before my lens and I was able to capture the moment.

Cutting the ribbon from right to left:  Lt. Governor Mary Taylor, former senator, governor and mayor of Cleveland George Voinovich, Janet Voinovich, Craig Hebebrand (prior ODOT Innerbelt Corridor Project Mgr), Myron Pakush, Deputy Director of ODOT, Scott Cooper (hard to see) of Walsh Construction, Tom Hyland of ODOT; Tom Uline of Resource International, Kirk Gegick of ODOT, Jeff Simens of DLZ.  The gentleman with the camera is Randy Morris of DLZ.

 

 

 

Politicians, construction workers, way too many photographers and family members attended the ribbon cutting ceremony.  There was also the caped A- OK Lady, Goodwill Ambassador of Kindness.

 

 

I've photographed the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge many times over the years and this shot had some of the most interesting light I've seen. 

Margaret Bourke-White worked in Cleveland as a photographer from 1927-29.  She was one of the greats of the 20th century.  I admire much of her work and her shot from the West bank provided some of my inspiration for the above photo.  You can see her original photograph HERE .

Bridges make great shooting platforms and I was able to capture workers finishing the concrete on the "remodeled" Canal Road in the Flats.

In this shot from the new Ontario St. ramp it almost appears as if Cleveland has another city beneath the metropolis.

 

Early morning sunlight cuts across both the old and new Innerbelt bridges in this image.  Later this month workers will begin unbolting guardrails, signage and other "easy" components.  Once that is completed they will cut up the roadbed.  Eventually demolitions will be used on portions of the superstructure.

 

 

 Sometimes it's just fun to be a little kid and run down an empty ramp in the city.