|
Key Facts |
Bridge Name | Type | Road | Location | City | Crossing |
|
Division Street Eastern Bridge |
Bascule (Truss) |
Division Avenue |
Cook County, IL |
Chicago |
Chicago River North Branch Canal |
|
Technical Facts |
|
Construction Date |
Rehabilitation Date |
Structure Length | Roadway Width | Approach Spans | Navigational Vertical Clearance |
| 1903 | 1983 | 242 Feet | 36 Feet | 4 Steel Stringers | 15.74 Feet |
Crossing the North Branch Chicago River Canal onto or off of Goose Island, this is one of the very first highway bascule bridges built in Chicago, constructed just a couple years after Cortland Street. Roemheld & Gallery of Chicago were both the designers and builders of the bridge. This bridge is similar to bridges like Cortland Street, but it has one very unusual and distinctive characteristic which sets it aside from these other bridges. The overhead sway/portal bracing for this bridge is composed of simple plate steel with decorative designs on them. This is different than on the other bridges including the bascule bridge in sight of this one also on Division Avenue, which have a more intricate network of built-up sections of v-laced and latticed steel for bracing. The riveted plates that are instead on this bridge do appear to be original. These plates are quite decorative, and with their designs add a lot to the bridge. They also make this bridge unique, and one that is definitely worth preserving. This bridge is also around the corner from the Halsted Street Bridge, which has a tall design as well, although it has the more standard bracing design.
Although the total length of this bridge was listed as being shorter than the other Division Avenue Bridge, the larger, taller trusses and unique portal bracing design suggest that the bascule spans are larger on this bridge and so the approach spans must be smaller, accounting for the shorter total length of this bridge.
