|
Key Facts |
Bridge Name | Type | Road | Location | City | Crossing |
|
Wells Street Bridge |
Bascule (Truss) |
Wells Street and Chicago El |
Cook County, IL |
Chicago |
Chicago River |
|
Technical Facts |
|
Construction Date |
Structure Length | Trunnion-Trunnion Length | Clear Span | Bridge Width | Roadway Width | Approach Spans | Navigational Vertical Clearance |
| 1922 | 345 Feet | 268 Feet | 231 Feet | 72 Feet | 38 Feet | 4 Steel Stringers | 15.74 Feet |
This bridge and its design is in my humble opinion one of the finest in the city of Chicago. Its through truss nature form an extensive network of trusses that make this bridge a complex geometric work of art. In a world where truss bridges are being demolished, with reasons given for their demolition, this bridge is a success story, like so many other Chicago bascule bridges. The Wells Street Bridge continues to serve its original purpose, carrying both vehicular and rail traffic, as well as opening to allow boat traffic to pass.
This bridge was built in 1922. The superstructure for the bridge was built by Ketler and Elliot Co, and the substructure was built by Fitzsimons and Connell Dredge and Dock Co. Original electrical equipment was installed by C. H. Norwood. The Fort Pitt Bridge Company fabricated the steel for the bridge.
Despite the fact that this is a movable bascule bridge, this bridge has the look of the beautiful Foxburg Bridge in Pennsylvania, which once carried a rail line above its trusses also. The Wells Street Bridge, which carries both train and car with no posted weight restrictions suggests that the Foxburg Bridge, which is in danger of demolition, could instead be restored and also carry traffic.
