Penn Central Railroad Bridge

The Penn Central Railroad Bridge is a bridge that spans the Little Calumet River.  It is located in Chicago 14 miles from the entrance of the Calumet Harbor.   It is between the Illinois Central Railroad Bridge and the Halsted Street traffic bridge.  It is currently operated as an industrial spur by the CSX Railroad.  It is a Warren through truss with deck plate approaches.  A cantilevered walk has been added to the structure.  Its largest span is 272 feet.  The total length is 337 feet.

Torrence Avenue Bridge this is the lower of the two bridges

Torrence Avenue Bridge this is the lower of the two bridge

This is a vertical lift truss traffic bridge over the Calumet River.   It is located between the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad Bridge and the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge.  It is 6.8 miles from the entrance of the Calumet Harbor. It is unique because it is not a bascule bridge typical of Chicago traffic bridges.  It was constructed in 1936.   The superstructure contractor was Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company.  Substructure contractor was Mackie Thompson Tamm, Inc.

The main span length was 276 feet.  Structure length is 497 feet.  Roadway width is 44 feet.  There is on main span and 5 approach spans.

The previous first bridge at this site was built in 1905 by Jackson and Corbett.  It was a hand operated wooden bridge (pontoon type).  During the construction of the current bridge, a temporary bridge was put in place.  This was a multispan structure including a fixed pony struss span and a bobtail pony truss swing bridge.

Beginning in 2011, the city of Chicago began a multiyear rehabilitation project for this bridge and the adjacent abandoned railroad bridge.

Chicago Skyway Bridge

Chicago Skyway Bridge

This is a very distinctive structure crossing the Calumet Harbor and the Calumet River.  It is 3.1 miles from the harbor entrance.  It lies between the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge and  the 100th Street Bridge.  The bridge design is metal cantilever Warren Through Truss fixed.  Approach spans are metal riveted connected fixed.   The bridge , viaduct system, and all approaches total 7.8 miles in length.  Bridge main span is 650 feet.  There are spans bilaterally measuring 325 feet. Deck width is 76.4 feet.  The bridge was built in 1958.  Builder was American Bridge Company of New York.  Bridge designer was J.E. Greiner of Chicago.  The bridge was rehabbed in 2003-2004.

Bridge rating as of 9/2011:

Deck Condition  8 out of 9  Very good.  Superstructure Condition 5 out of 9 Fair.  Substructure Condition  5 out of 9  Fair.   Sufficiency rating 62.

Illinois Central R.R. Bridge over the Little Calumet River

Same as above

     The Illinois Central Railroad Bridge over the Little Calumet River is located in Riverdale, Illinois 12.6 miles from the entrance of the Calumet Harbor.  It is between the Indiana Bridge and the Penn Central Railroad Bridge.  The bridge was originally built in 1925 by the Strauss Bascule Bridge Company.  It was modified over the years as late as the 1960’s.  It is actually four bridges configured as such:  3 trusses share a single pier; each truss contains 2 tracks. One truss (the eastern most) has its own pier and a single track.  Design is metal 10 panel bolt-connected polygonal Warren through Truss,fixed.  Approach spans metal deck girder, moveable; double leaf vascular.

     Main span is 310 feet.  Structure length is 590 feet.

Indiana Avenue Traffic Bridge

The Indiana Avenue Bridge is a traffic bridge over the Little Calumet River in Chicago.  It is also known as the Little Calumet River Bridge.  It is 12.4 miles from the entrance of the Calumet Harbor.  It is located between the Western Indiana Railroad Bridge and the Illinois Central Bridge.

It was built in 1977.It is a polygonal through Truss bridge. It has one main span and two approach spans.  The main span is 264 feet long.  The structure length is 334 feet.  The roadway width is 48 feet.  The bridge is open.

The history of this bridge site is interesting.  Originally there was a ferry that crossed the river.  This was started  in 1838 by George Dolton.  The first bridge was a toll bridge dating to 1842. This was replaced by a pivoting bridge around 1900.    This was replaced by swing bridge with vertical end posts and double intersections in the 1960’s.

Rating of the bridge as of 10/2011:  Deck Condition 4 out of 9  Poor;  Superstructure Condition: 4 out of 9  Poor;  Substructure Condition: 6 out of 9 Satisfactory.  Overall rating Structurally deficient.

Indiana Avenue Traffic Bridge

Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad Bridge

This bridge is known as the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad Bridge or the Union Pacific Bridge. It is located in Riverdale, Illinois 12.15 miles from the Calumet Harbor. It crosses the Little Calumet River between the Bishop Ford Steel bridge and the Indiana Avenue Bridge.   This is a polygonal Warren through truss with all verticals type of bridge.  The largest span measures 269 feet.  Total length is 395 feet.  There is on  main span  The bridge is open.

Bishop Ford Steel Bridge over the Little Calumet River

This bridge is known as the I 94 Steel Bridge over the Little Calumet River.    It is located 10.2 miles from the entrance to the Calumet Harbor.   It is between The Norfolk and Southern Railroad Bridge over the Little Calumet River and the Chicago and Western Indiana  RR Bridge ( Union Pacific).  The age of this bridge is in dispute.  One report places the construction as 1949 and a 1993 reconstruction date.  Others feel that the 1993 date refers to  a super structure demolition and replacement with the current appearance.

It consists of a pair of Warren through truss.  The largest span is 419 feet.  Total length is 794.7 feet.  Deck width is 39.6 feet.

Inspection as of 12/2011:  Deck 7 out of 9 good

Superstructure 7 of 9 Good

Substructure 7 out of 9

Rating 83

The bridge is open.  It is located in Calumet City, Illinois