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.

Columbus Drive Bridge over the Chicago River
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

Columbus Drive Bridge

Columbus Drive Bridge

Columbus Drive Bridge

Undersurface Columbus Drive Bridge

Columbus Drive Bridge

Columbus Drive Bridge

Columbus Drive Bridge

Bridge Keeper House Columbus Drive Bridge

Columbus Drive Bridge

Columbus Drive Bridge

Bridge Plaque Columbus Drive Bridge

Columbus Drive Bridge

Under Surface Columbus Drive Bridge

Columbus Drive Bridge
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