This summer, the public will have a rare opportunity to experience the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge as never before. The Roebling Bridge Society, the all-volunteer nonprofit that has kept the bridge’s flags flying since 1976 and its iconic necklace of lights glowing since 1984, is launching a series of sunset walking tours beginning Thursday, June 19.
Each 90-minute guided tour crosses the full span of this National Historic Landmark, taking participants through the bridge’s extraordinary story: its role as the predecessor to the Brooklyn Bridge, the engineering genius of designer John A. Roebling, and the community effort that has preserved and illuminated it for generations. Tours are limited to 20 participants to ensure an intimate, conversation-driven experience.
Tours will be led by Don Jones, a historian, Roebling Bridge Society member, and experienced guide who has previously led bridge tours through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Cincinnati. His deep knowledge of the bridge’s history and construction brings the landmark to life in a way no roadside sign or brochure can.
“This bridge has connected our two cities for more than 150 years, but most people have never heard its full story,” said Jones. “These tours give people a chance to walk the span the way Roebling intended, and to see why it changed engineering forever.”
Tours are scheduled for three evenings this summer:
• Thursday, June 19
• Saturday, July 25
• Saturday, August 23
Tickets are $10 per person. Advance reservations are required due to limited capacity. Register at roeblingbridge.org.
The launch of sunset tours is one of several initiatives the Roebling Bridge Society is undertaking in 2026, the organization’s 50th anniversary year. Founded in 1976 to privately fund the bridge’s flag installations and later its beautification lighting, the Society has operated entirely on volunteer effort and community support for half a century. The tours represent a new way to fulfill that mission: connecting people to the bridge’s history and ensuring the landmark remains a living part of regional life.
Roebling Bridge Society