Revised and expanded on 1/4/2017

    The Webster Avenue Bridge (1600 West; 2200 North)crosses east to west the North branch of the Chicago River 4.9 miles from the river mouth.   This is the second bridge at this site.  The bridge opened on August 3, 1916.   Contractors were:

Bridge Designer:  Chief Bridge Engineer  Thomas Pihlfeldt;  City Bridge Engineer:  Alexander von Babo

Builder/Contractor was Kettler Elliot Company of Chicago

Substructure Contractor Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company

Electrical Contractor. C.H. Norwood

     The bridge type is a metal rivet-connected Pratt Pony Truss,movable: double leaf bascule (fixed trunnion) and approach spans : metal stringer (multi-beam) fixed.  There is one main span and four approach spans.

     Main span length is 189 feet.    Structure length is 287 feet.  Roadway width is 36 feet.The

  Construction costs were $285,558.

     In 1936, old deck paving removed and replaced  by 3 in. X 6 in.  deck overlaid with asphalt planking.  

     In 1968, open grid steel deck installed.

     In the 199o’s, the bridge was converted from movable to fixed. The N.E. bridge house was removed.   S.E. Bridge house was abandoned

     The first bridge was an iron and wood swing bridge.  The superstructure was the former Clark Street Howe through Truss bridge.  It opened in 1889. 

Contractors were:

Designer: Fox and Howard

Superstructure: Fox and Howard

Substructure:  Chicago Dredge and Dock Company

Construction cost was $ 11,500.

Bridge was removed on June 4, 1914.

Inspection 9/2011.

Deck.                       Condition.              Rating.   Good.       7 out of 9

Superstructure    Condition.               Rating    Serious    3 out of 9

Substructure.       Condition.               Rating     Fair.         5 out of 9

Sufficiency Rating.    43.9 out of 100.