Revised 11/28/2017

The Columbus Drive Bridge  ( 300 east and 400 north ) crosses the main branch of the Chicago River 3/10 a mile west of the river mouth.   Currently it is the world’s second largest bascule bridge.   It was built in 1982.   Cost of construction was $33 million. The largest span is 269 feet.  Total length  is 389 feet.   Deck width is 89.8 feet.

It is a single piece box truss similar to the Loomis Street Bridge.  There are 8 trusses 4 in each leaf.    During its short history, there have been two incidents involving the bridge:  1 April, 15, 1983 cracks were found in three of the gears;  May, 1984  bridge failed to open due to binding of the center bolt.

This is also known as the William Fahey Bridge  (a police officer killed in the line of duty).  It is a metal, movable double leaf bascule (fixed trunnion) and approach spans: metal stringer (multi beam) fixed

 

General Contractor:  Paschen

Builder  Envirodyne Engineers of Delaware

Chief Engineer. Henry Ecale

Steel Fabricator:  American Bridge Company

Chief Construction Engineer  R.J. Bronson

 
Inspection 12/2010

Deck Condition.                          Rating.           Satisfactory  6 out of 9

Superstructure   Condition.   Rating.            Satisfactory  6 out of 9

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

Sufficiency Rating. 95 out of 100