N Lake Shore Dr Bridge, Chicago, IL (1)

Looking west at the N. Lake Shore Dr. bridge - Main Branch Chicago River.

Videos: Site Video / YouTube Video / Narrated Tour on YouTube / View from the Lower Deck

Quick Facts for North Lake Shore Dr. Bridge

Date Opened:October 19, 1937
Designers: Strauss Engineering Company and Hugh Young
Classification: Double Deck (Auto/Auto); Deck Trusses
Group Age Ranking: 13th Oldest
Clear Span: 220 feet (3rd longest – tied w/ North Michigan; North La Salle; North Franklin-Orleans)
Trunnion-to-Trunnion Span: 264 feet (3rd longest)
Width: 108 feet (2nd widest – tied w/ North State)
Leaf Weight: 6,420 tons – largest in the group
Height above the Water: 25 feet
Average Daily Foot Traffic (1999): NA
Average Daily Vehicular Traffic (2006): 112,000 (highest traffic volume of the group)
Annual Lifts (2006): 49
Last Rehabilitated: 1987
Cultural: None

Drawings:

Original Railing Detail (1930)

Plan and Elevation Drawing (1983)

The North Lake Shore Drive river crossing has a relatively short history. This is the first and only bridge built at this location. This bridge was part of the larger plan to build a major highway through downtown Chicago to facilitate traffic flow into and out of the city.

Planning began in 1926 and construction began in 1931. Funding ran out in 1932 with the crash of the municipal bond market. The WPA stepped in with assistance in 1935 and the bridge was completed in 1937. At the time of construction it was the widest, longest, and heaviest double leaf bascule bridge in the world.

Boats passing under the N. Lake Shore Dr. bridge on the journey to Lake Michigan.

The original crossing consisted of two bascule bridges. There was a double leaf span (the current bridge) across the river and a single leaf span over Ogden Slip. Both bridges had a similar appearance in their deck trusses and bridge tender houses. The bridges were originally designed to carry trains on a future lower deck.

The original southern approach to this bridge was described as an “S-curve.” It ran on Field Boulevard (through the current Lake Shore East Development) to eastbound Wacker Drive and then onto northbound Lake Shore Drive. In the 1980's, the alignment of Lake Shore Drive was changed to its current location along the lake front east of the Lake Shore East development. It was during this project that the second traffic deck (lower deck) was added and the bascule bridge over Ogden slip was removed and replaced by the current fixed bridge.

Biking the drive in the early morning - 2009.

The annual "Bike the Drive" event is held on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. The event provides an opportunity for a great bike ride and a once-a-year opportunity to explore the upper deck of the North Lake Shore Dr. bridge.

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