Revised and expanded on 1/13/2018

     The Ohio Street Bridge (500 West; 560 North) runs east to west across the North Branch Chicago River 2.1 miles from the mouth.  This is the first and only bridge at this location.

    It was built in 1961.  It was renovated in 1992. It is a unique structure.  It is two side by side double leaf bascule bridges.   There are three lanes in each direction. There are two bridge houses.  There are no pedestrian sidewalks.  It is a major connection between the near North side and the Kennedy Expressway.  The main span is 219.2 feet. Structure length is 367 feet. Roadway width is 76 feet.  It has one main span and two approach spans.

     Contractors were:

     Designer:           Division of Bridges and Viaducts  City of Chicago

     Superstructure Contractor:   Strobel Steel Construction Company

     Substructure Contractor:        FitzSimons and Connell Company

     Construction Costs were $195,141.

     Inspection as of 12/2012

     Deck Condition Rating Satisfactory 6 out of 9

     Superstructure Condition Rating Fair 5 out of 9

     Substructure Condition Rating Fair 5 out of 9

Photos added 4/19/2018

  

   

    Revised and expanded 1/13/2018

    The Grand Avenue Bridge (462 West; 450 North) traverses the North Branch of the Chicago River east to west 2 miles from the river mouth. The current bridge is the second at this location.  It opened December 13,1913.  It was rehabbed in 1974.  The following is the technical description of the bridge: metal rivet-connected Pratt Pony Truss, moveable double leaf bascule (fixed trunnion).  Approach spans: metal stringer (multibeam fixed).  It is a steel structure.  It is a second generation Chicago bascule bridge.  There is one main span and 3 approach spans.   In the early 2000’s, it was converted from movable to fixed.

     The largest span is 187.9 feet.  The total length is 269.9 feet.  Deck width is 36 feet.

   Contractors are as follows:

     Superstructure was built by Strobel Steel Construction Company Chicago

     Substructure Contractor was Fitzsimmons and Connell Bridge and Deck Company Chicago

     Bridge Engineer/Design City of Chicago.

     Construction costs were $195,141.

     The first bridge at this location opened in 1869.  It was a common Howe truss wood and iron swing bridge.  It was 163 feet long and 32 feet wide. In 1895, it received a reinforced floor system for electric streetcars.   In 1907, the bridge underwent an extensive rehab.

     Designer:          Fox and Howard

    Construction:   Fox and Howard

     Construction Costs were $48,800.

     Bridge was removed between June to July, 1910

Bridge  inspection (Current Bridge) 11/2010

Deck Condition Rating Satisfactory 6 out of 9

Superstructure Condition Rating Poor 4 out of 9

Substructure Rating Condition Satisfactory 6 out of 9

Appraisal Structurally Deficient

Photos added 4/19/2018.

The following images were obtained in the end of July, 2017.  This was after a period of severe rain and flooding

 

 

 

 

The Des Plaines River originates in Wisconsin.  Its course is south and west through Illinois.  Through much of its course it parallels the Sanitary and Ship Canal and the Illinois Michigan Canal.   It merges with the Kankakee River near Channahon, Illinois to form the Illinois River.

Not much is written about the current bridge at this site.    It was apparently built in 1920.  The city undertook a 2.5 million dollar rehabilitation project in 1998.  New lighting fixtures were added.  Railing similar to the original construction was installed.  Pedestrian sidewalks were widened.

The bridge plaque references a bridge reconstruction that took place in 1998.

 

 

The above picture is a view of the North Branch Chicago River from the bridge

This is a view from the other side of the bridge.

A prior bridge at this site was a lost Pony truss bridge.  This bridge was replaced in 1920

Landmark Wilmette

Nestled in a wooded area of Evanston crossing the North Shore Channel is a historic railroad bridge.   At various times it was used by  the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific RR. and the Chicago , North Shore and Milwaukee interurban line.  Currently it is used by the CTA Purple line.

The bridge is a Warren through truss with all verticals.  Largest span measures 175 feet.  Total length is 425 feet.     It was built in 1909.  Bridge engineer was listed as Carlton R. Dart.

 

     This bridge crosses the North Shore Channel in Skokie, Illinois between Oakton and Howard Streets.  It was built in 1925 for the Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee R.R.  It is currently used by the Skokie Swift (yellow line.)

     It is a double intersection Warren deck Truss.  Its largest span is 130 feet.  Total length is 835 feet.

     There have been 3 bridges at East Division Street (1200 North; 840 West).  These cross the North Branch Canal into Goose Island 2.6 miles from the river mouth

     In 2014, city of Chicago made the decision to a bascule type bridge due to its deterioration.   A contract was made with the Acrow Corporation to replace the bridge.  This company worked with the city of Chicago and the general contractor F.H. Paschen to remove and replace the bridge  within a 90 day period.

     The replacement bridge deck is epoxy aggregrate.  Bridge has  bilateral cantilevered sidewalks.   There are panel chords, diagonal and verticals.  Decking , raker brace, transom, top chord, brace, sway brace, transom brace, diagonal chord brace.   The largest span is 261 feet. Deck width is 36 feet.   It has two lanes for auto traffic and two bicycle lanes.   When installed, the bridge was to be a temporary structure for 4 to 5 years.   It still remains in place in 2017.

     The second bridge at this site opened on February 1, 1903.  It was a metal rivet-connected Pratt through Truss, movable double leaf bascule (fixed trunnion) and approach spans: metal stringer (multi beam), fixed.  The main span length was 173 feet.  Structure Length was 260 feet.   There was one main span and four approach spans. It was First rehabbed in the 1930’s.  It was also overhauled in 1969 and in 1980.  It was converted to a fixed span in the 1990’s.

     Contractors were:

Design:               Division of Bridges and Viaducts City of Chicago

Construction:  Roemheld and Gallery

Cost was $194,150.

Removed in 2014.

     The first east Division Street Bridge opened in 1870.  It was the first of the North Branch Canal.  It was a hand operated wood and iron swing bridge.  It was 176 feet long and 29 feet wide.

Contractors:           

Designer:                  Fox and Howard

Construction:         Fox and Howard

Cost:  $17,700.

     The bridge was removed In 1900.

    

Written: 1/9/2018 There have been 2 bridges at this site The current bridge crosses the  north branch Chicago River (1129 West; 1200 North) between Goose Island and the mainland.  It is located 3 miles from the river mouth. It is also known as the Charles Levy Bridge.  It was opened in June 4, 1904.  It was composed of 700 tons of steel and 500 tons of counter weight 

 

    It consists of one main span and and four approach spans.  It is a complex part through part pony truss bascule bridge.  The main span is 149 feet in length.  The structure length is 242 feet.  Roadway width is 36 feet.   There are three truss structures supporting two 18 foot roadways.    There are two 8 foot sidewalks.

     Bridge houses were rebuilt in the 1930’s;  new center locks were installed; there was machinery renewal and deck replacement.  In 1942, the bridge was redecked;there was structural steel repairs. In the 1950’s, plank roadway was replaced with open steel grids.  In the 1960’s, operator houses were replaced.  In 1993, the bridge was completely rehabbed.  The bridge was changed to fixed status.

Contractors were :       

Design:                                                    Department of Bridges and Viaducts

Superstructure Contractor:              J.E. Roemheld

Substructure Contractor:                  FitzSimons and Connell

Cost was. $256,315

It is refreshing to see an historic bridge in this area considering the modern ones located at North Avenue, Division Street over the North Branch Channel and the Halsted Avenue.

     The first West Division Street Bridge opened in 1869.  It was the first combination wood and iron swing bridge.  It was a Howe truss.  It was 180 feet long and 29 feet wide.It had a small bridge house.  

Contractors were:

Design:                      Fox and Howard

Construction:          Fox and Howard

Construction costs where $15,795.

Bridge was removed on May 1, 1902

Photos added 4/12/2018

     The city of Chicago has planned to replace the 114 year old Division Street Bridge over the North Branch of the Chicago River in 2019.    The group Friends of Goose Island is floating the plan to move the bridge farther North to create a pedestrian and bike path at Blackhawk Street.

Extending from the North Avenue region southward  is an old railroad bridge known as the Cherry Avenue Bridge.   The bridge runs north and south over the north branch of the Chicago River to Goose Island (an industrial area).  It is the only railroad access to this region.

In 1871, the Chicago and Pacific Railroad constructed a line from Goose Island through Elgin to Byron, Illinois.   This line was taken over by the Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul Railroad in 1880.  This line was taken over by the Soo Line in 1986.  The Chicago Terminal Railroad assumed control in 2007.

The current bridge was built in 1902.  It was a replacement of a 20 year old bridge.  This bridge was built and designed by the Chicago , Milwaukee and Saint Paul Railroad.  This bridge is an asymmetric bobtail bridge.   There is an  134.5 feet long and 40 feet high Pratt truss arm that spans the channel.  There is a 70 foot arm that carries the 280,000 pound concrete counterweight 20 feet above the track.  The bridge is no longer operational.  When it was functional , it could swing to the east to an angle of 82.5 degrees  The pivet pier is on the shore of the north side.  It contains a single track and at one time also carried motor traffic.

The bridge was purchased by the city of Chicago in in 2008.  It was rehabbed in 2008–9.  New decking and lights were added.  Currently, there is pedestrian access and an occasional train across the bridge.  Near the Goose Island end of the bridge there is a city of Chicago water taxi site.