A new virtual tour on the Roebling Suspension Bridge is now on offer.
The Civil War-era bridge connecting Covington to Cincinnati is still closed to vehicular traffic, and only one side is currently available to pedestrians, as work continues on a months-long restoration project expected to last through November.
Despite its current restrictions, the bridge is a local landmark and one of the region’s most photographed sites.
The volunteer-led Covington-Cincinnati Suspension Bridge Committee (CCSBC) has developed a virtual version of the in-person informational tours it has given in the past. After the members designed (and Kentucky Department of Transportation-approved) a way to attach brackets so they are visible along the walkway, the group installed QR code plaques that bring walkers directly to the tour pages on the RoeblingBridge.org website.
There are three unique tour stations, with QR code plaques placed strategically along the length of the bridge for walkers heading either north or south.
The tour stations include the anchor houses, the towers, and the midspan.
During each tour, which lasts under three minutes, narrator Dave Akers shares old photos, along with drawings and new photos, that explain details of the bridge’s structure. He also explains the changes that have been made to the bridge since it was opened for use in 1867.
The CCSBC is a nonprofit organization that provides and maintains the flags that fly on the north and south towers, the decorative pier lights, and “necklace” lights on the bridge’s span. The group also promotes public awareness of the bridge.
These new tours are designed to help visitors to the bridge understand and appreciate the history and engineering of this John Roebling masterpiece.
-Staff report