The Crawford Avenue Bridge spans the Cal Sag Canal between the I 294 and the Kedzie Avenue bridges.  It is also known as the Pulaski Street Bridge.  It is located in Robbins, Illinois.  Its construction date of 1932 makes it one of the oldest bridges on the Cal Sag Canal.

It is a metal 9 panel rivet-connected Parker through Truss, fixed and approach spans: metal stringer ((multi-beam), fixed.    It consists of 1 main span and 3 approach spans.  The main span is 207 feet in length.  Structure length is 335 feet.    Roadway width measures 40 feet.    The bridge was built by McClintic Marshall Company of Pittsburgh.

The bridge was rehabbed in 1971 by the state of Illinois.  It was rehabbed again in  1992 by Cook County.

Inspection 10/2012.

Deck                                     Condition                                Rating   Good     7 out of 9

Superstructure                 Condition                                 Rating    Fair      5 out of 9

Substructure                    Condition                                  Rating    Good    7 out of 9

Appraisal   Functionally obsolete

     The Cicero Avenue Bridge over the Cal Sag Canal is located between the 127th Street Bridge and the Tristate Toll Road Bridge.  It was built in 1938.  It was rehabbe d in 1963, 1984.  As of the date of this blog October, 2017, the bridge is closed for rennovations. 

     It is a 10 panel rivet-connected polygonal Warren Through Truss, fixed and approach spans: metal stringer (multi-beam), fixed.  Main span measures 270 feet.  Structure length is 378 feet.  Road way width is 43.6 feet.  This is one of the oldest metal truss bridges on the Cal Sag Canal.

     The Southwest Highway Bridge crosses the Cal Sag Canal between the LaGrange Road Bridge and the Harlem  Avenue Bridge.   It was built in 1931.  It was rehabbed in 1971 and 2003.The builder/contractor is unknown.  

     It is a metal 9 panel rivet-connected Parker through truss, fixed and approach spans: metal continuous stringer (multi-beam) fixed.  There is one main span and four approach spans. The main span length is 216 feet.  The structure measures 346.5 feet.  Roadway width is 43.6 feet.

Bridge Inspection as of 8/2011

Deck                              Condition         Rating.       Satisfactory  6 out of 9

Superstructure.         Condition.        Rating.       Satisfactory 6 out of 9

Substructure.             Condition.        Rating.        Satisfactory 6 out of 9

Appraisal:     Functionally  Obsolete

The LaGrange Road Bridge over the Cal Sag Canal is a unique bridge.  It is actually two side by side identical bridges. They were built in 1967.  The description is an 8 panel bolt connected polygonal Warren through Truss, fixed and approach spans:  metal contiguous stringer multibeam fixed.    The main span length is 289.7 feet.  Structure length is 445 feet. Roadway width is 30.8 feet.  There is one main span and 5 approach spans.

It was built in 1957.  Builder/Contractor is unknown.  Engineer/design is Alfred Benesch and Associates  of Chicago.

Bridge Inspection 8/2011.

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. 63 out of 100

Bascule bridge is a movable draw bridge.  These can be one leaf or two leafs.    In a single leaf bascule bridge,  there is a single movable span that bridges the entire river.  In a double leaf bascule, there are two movable spans that meet in the midline

Fixed trunnion.  The bridge rotates about a fixed axis.

Truss Bridge is one whose load bearing superstructure is composed of A truss–structure of connected elements usually forming triangular units

Warren Truss Bridge was patented in 1848 by James Warren and Willoughby Theobald Mongani.   Its longitudinal members are joined only by angled cross members forming alternatively inverted equilateral triangle shaped spaces along its length

A Pratt Pony Truss. The truss is above the road bed but not connected.

Through truss.  Truss members are above and below the roadbed

Deck truss.  The roadway is atop the truss.

 

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