
Madison Street Bridge
Revised and expanded 1/16/2017

Madison Street Bridge
The Madison Street Bridge (378 West; 50 South) crosses the South branch of the Chicago River east to west 2 miles from the river mouth. It is also known as the Lyric Opera Bridge. This is the sixth bridge at this locr. It opened on November 29, 1922. The bridge type is metal rivet-connected Pratt railing Height Truss, movable; double leaf bascule (fixed trunnion) and approach spans: metal stringer (multi-beam) fixed.
There is one main span and three approach spans. The main span length is 221 feet. The structure length is 283.2 feet. Roadway width is 38 feet. This was the first bascule bridge in Chicago with a truss configuration that is partially a pony truss and partially a deck truss.

Madison Street Bridge
Contractors:
Design: City Bureau of Engineering, City of Chicago
Architect Edward Bennett
Superstructure Contractor: Kettler Elliot Company of Chicago.
Substructure Contractor: FitzSimons and Connell Company
Construction Costs were $1,622,000
The bridge was rehabbed in 1958 and 1994.

Bridge Tender House Madison Street Bridge
The first bridge at this site opened in 1847. It was a wood pontoon float swing bridge, hand operated.
Contractors were:
Designer:
Plan of Common Council
Construction:
S. Peck, L.M. Boyce, and E.S. Wadsworth.
Construction costs were $3500.
Destroyed by a flood March 12, 1849
Second bridge at this site opened June, 1849. It was a pontoon turntable wood hand operated.
Contractors were:
Design:
Common Council City of Chicago
Construction:
Common Council City of Chicago
Construction costs were $ 4,000.
Bridge removed winter, 1856.
The third bridge at this site opened June, 1857. It was an iron swing hand operated bridge that combined two Mossely tubular arches end to end over a center pier. It was 155 feet long.
Contractors were:
Designer: City of Chicago, Gregory, Bandon, and Robinson
Contractor: Gaylord
Construction costs were $42,000. Bridge was removed in 1875.
Fourth bridge at this site opened in 1875. It was a Pratt truss iron swing steam powered bridge. It was 158 feet long and 30 1/2 feet wide. The old center pier was reused. The masonry approaches and sidewalks were rebuilt.
Contractors were:
Design : American Bridge Company
Contractors: American Bridge Company
Construction costs were $15,000. Bridge was removed in 1891.

Madison Street Bridge over the South Branch Chicago River. Chicago Historical Society Photo
The fifth bridge at this site opened on October 16, 1951. It was a steel swing electric powered. It had two trusses and four traffic lanes.
Contractors were:
Designer: Unknown
Superstructure Contractor: Riter and Conley
Substructure Contractor: FitzSimons and Connell
Construction costs were $104,500.
Bridge was removed September to November, 1922.

Madison Street Bridge
Bridge Inspection 10/2011
Deck Condition Rating Very Good 8 out of 9
Superstructure Condition Rating Good 7 out of 9
Substructure. Condition Rating Satisfactory 6 out 9
Sufficiency Rating. 76 out of 100

Madison Street Bridge

Madison Street Bridge

Under Surface Madison Street Bridge