The current State Street Bridge ( 0 East; 309 North)crosses the main channel of the Chicago River .8 mile from the river mouth.  This Bridge is also known as the Bataan–Corregidor Memorial Bridge.  It has a similar appearance to the adjacent Dearborn Street Bridge.   The building project was prolonged from 1942 to 1949.  There were two reasons for this: 1) steel shortage during World War II and 2) the concurrent red line subway project under the Chicago River at the same site. Bridge was completed May 28, 1949.

Like the Dearborn Street Bridge, the State Street Bridge description is metal rivet-connected Pratt Railing Truss, movable double leaf bascule (fixed trunnion); and approach span, metal stringer  (multibeam), fixed.   There is one main span and 5 approach spans.    Main span length is 245 feet.  Structure length is 307 feet.  Roadway width is 72 feet.

List of contractors

Building Contractors  Overland Construction Company of Chicago

Engineer/Design City of Chicago

Substructure Contractor  Fitzsimons and Connell Dredge and Dock Company

Construction cost was 3.5 million dollars.

     Bridge carried two continuous lines of 50 ton streetcars on either side of the center truss until 2/18/1957.

     The first bridge at this site was built in 1864.  It was an iron reinforced swing bridge.    It was 184 X 35 feet. It was designed and constructed by Fox and Howard for $36,000.  It was destroyed in the Chicago Fire of 1871.

    This was replaced in 1872 by a 184 foot metal through truss swing bridge with ornamental details.  This was designed  and constructed by the Keystone Bridge Company for $49,509

     The third bridge was built in September, 1887.  It was a Pratt truss steel swing bridge powered by steam. It was designed and constructed by A. Gotten and Company for $24,400.  The center pier was rebuilt in 1898.    It was converted from steam to electric in 1897.  The bridge was closed on October 8, 2001

    A new bridge was built in 1903 by the American Bridge Company. It was a Scherzer rolling lift bascule pony truss bridge.  Substructure Contractor was Lydon and Drews Company.  Cost was $147, 648.  Bridge was removed in May,1939.

Bridge Inspection as of 11/2012

Deck                    Condition Rating           Satisfactory       6 out of 9

Superstructure Condition  Rating           Fair                     5 out of 9

Substructure Condition Rating               Satisfactory      6 out of 9

 

Appraisal   Functionally Obsolete