By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter
The year – 2017.
And all Dave Wetzel was interested in back then was entering – and hopefully winning – a photo contest.
Today, Wetzel is Membership Chairman of the Covington-Cincinnati Bridge Committee.
Who even knew such a committee existed?
Roebling Suspension Bridge (file photo)
And what on earth do they do – or try to do?
“Well, the Roebling Bridge Committee was founded by volunteers as a nonprofit in 1976 as the Covington-Cincinnati Suspension Bridge Committee (CCSBC),” he told the Covington Rotary Club this week, as a guest speaker.
Now that is a bit cumbersome – so the name of the group was changed to the Covington-Cincinnati Bridge Committee as the Suspension was dropped from the original title.
The mission, according to Wetzel, is simple:
“The original and on-going purpose of this committee,” he said, “is to further patriotism by the continuous display of the 50-star flag of the United States of America to be flown from the Ohio (North) tower of the Suspension Bridge and a Bennington Flag, the official Bicentennial Flag, to be flown from the Kentucky (South) tower of the Suspension Bridge.”
And if you’re wondering, those flags are replaced about every three months, according to Wetzel.
A second purpose, he says, is given equal importance by the Committee, is ensuring the preservation and enhancement of the Bridge, as well as promoting public awareness of the Bridge’s historic and engineering significance.
Some enhancement activities:
In 1984 the necklace lights were added along with lighting for the towers and flags. The necklace lights were upgraded to LED lighting in 2021 all pier lighting was replaced in 2021-2022.
As for the history of the Bridge, well it rolled off Wetzel’s tongue as if he constructed it himself.
Designed by John A. Roebling, and constructed by him and his son, Washington, the bridge was a masterpiece of innovation design and construction techniques, according to Wetzel.
“These made it the predecessor for bridges that followed,” he said, “starting with the Brooklyn Bridge which has a similar style and look to it – and established it as the forerunner of modern-day suspension bridges.”
Wetzel said it was Ed Wimmer, a national advocate for small businesses, who led the Committee of Kentucky and Ohio citizens to privately fund the flying of our country’s flag atop the bridge towers to celebrate the 1976 National Bicentennial.
“The Committee negotiated full responsibility from the Commonwealth of Kentucky (bridge owner) for cost, installation and continual maintenance of the necessary facilities,” he said.
Dave Wetzel
And the result – On Flag Day 1976, the Stars and Stripes were raised and have been kept flying ever since.
In 1953, the bridge was purchased by the Commonwealth of Kentucky from the Covington-Cincinnati Bridge Company.
In 1983, it was renamed the John A. Roebling Bridge.
The bridge officially opened on New Year’s Day 1867, with the claim of the longest (1,057 feet) span in the world, and was acclaimed a marvel of the age. It was the first bridge to span the Ohio River between Kentucky and Ohio.
And in 1975, it was designated a National Historic Landmark. In 1982, it was designated a National Civil Engineering Landmark.
The 126-member Committee meets monthly at Covington’s Ascent. The Covington-Cincinnati Suspension Bridge Committee (CCSBC) was formed in 1976 as a nonprofit group dedicated to fostering patriotism, celebrating the bridge’s heritage as a National Historic Landmark, and to assist in its preservation and enhancement.
Thank you, Dave Wetzel, for entering that photo contest.
In fact, there’s one in progress now with the winner getting a chance to go up on the Bridge’s Tower. Check: roeblingbridge.org
