N. La Salle St. bridge as gateway to the loop.
While returning visitors will notice a change in appearance and organization of this site, navigation remains mostly unchanged. For new visitors, site navigation is accomplished by use of the menu at the left of every page supplemented by text links on some of the pages. Return to the home page by clicking on the page header of any page.
Downtown Chicago provides a unique opportunity for anyone interested in bridges. In a mere two miles, there are eighteen movable bridges. While the most celebrated bridge is at N. Michigan Avenue, there are seventeen other examples of beautiful Chicago bridges. An easy stroll along Wacker Drive provides an opportunity to see the evolution in design of the Chicago Type, Fixed Trunnion, Double Leaf, Bascule Bridge.
Looking West from N. State St. on the Main Branch of the Chicago River (© 2009 P. Armell).
2009 marked the centennial of The Plan of Chicago. This document made an enormous impact on all aspects of Chicago's design, including bridges. The North La Salle Street bridge, shown at the top of this page and operating (on this video link), is an excellent example of the Plan's influence on the architecture of Chicago's bridges.
This website provides some background information and will take you on a tour of these Chicago bridges. The tour includes bridges from North Lake Shore Drive at the mouth of the Chicago River to West Van Buren Street on the South Branch of the Chicago River.
Background information is located in the menu section entitled "Pages" found on each page of this site.
Photographs, facts, general information, some engineering drawings, "local" QuickTime videos and links to YouTube videos and narrated tours are provided for the individual bridges. These can be accessed directly from the "Bridges" menu or via the link entitled "Virtual Tour Map" in the menu or by clicking on the small map displayed on every page.
My book entitled, "Two Miles - Eighteen Bridges A walk along the Chicago River," is now available for download. In addition, I have written two short articles. One about the engineers involved in the development of the Chicago Type Bridge and the other an historical look at bridge tending.
Looking North toward the W. Van Buren St. Bridge on the South Branch of the Chicago River.