W Madison St Bridge, Chicago, IL (1)

The W. Madison St. bridge - South Branch Chicago River.

Videos: Site Video / YouTube Video / Narrated YouTube Tour

Quick Facts for West Madison St. Bridge

Date Opened: November 29, 1922
Designers: Thomas G. Pihlfeldt, Hugh E. Young, John Ericson, Edward Bennett
Classification: Single Deck; Rail Height Trusses
Group Age Ranking: 8th Oldest
Clear Span: 189 feet (8th longest)
Trunnion-to-Trunnion Span: 221 feet (9th longest)
Width: 72 feet (7th widest – tied w/ North Wells and North Clark)
Leaf Weight: 1,800 tons
Height above the Water: 16 feet
Average Daily Foot Traffic (1999): 41,586 (highest volume of foot traffic in the group)
Average Daily Vehicular Traffic (2006): 9,900 (11th most)
Annual Lifts (2006): 68
Last Rehabilitated: 1994
Cultural: Featured in two photographs in the book “The Chicago Exhibition” by Michele Fitzsimmons and Diane Schmidt. Named the Lyric Opera Bridge in 1989. Movie: Just Visiting (2001).

Drawings:

Elevation of the Original Bridge Tender Houses (1920)

Details of Original Bridge Tender Houses (1920)

Plan and Elevation Drawing (1920)

Equipment Elevation Drawing (1920)

The West Madison Street crossing has been in use for 168 years. The first floating bridge was built in 1847. The swing bridge era began in 1856. In 1891, the existing bridge was moved to the Washington Street crossing and a new and improved swing bridge was constructed at Madison Street.

The current bridge was opened on November 29, 1922. This was the first bridge in the group to use rail-height trusses. The limestone faced bridge tender houses are located at the SE and SW corners of the bridge.

Looking west along the Madison St. bridge.

In 1985, conceptual artist Michele Fitzsimmons and photographer Diane Schmidt produced a book of photographs entitled “The Chicago Exhibition.” This project featured a number of Chicago landmarks as backdrop for a series of artistic nude poses. The West Madison Street Bridge was lucky enough to be included in two photographs of the collection (“Madison Street Bridge” and “Madison Street Bridge Rush Hour”).

In 1989, the manager of the Lyric Opera of Chicago asked Mayor Eugene Sawyer to re-name a bridge in honor of the Opera's thirty fifth season. The Mayor obliged and the “world's largest bridge party” was held January 26, 1989. The Madison Street Bridge was re-named the “Lyric Opera Bridge” in a short outdoor ceremony that saw 2200 silver balloons released into the night sky.

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