Illinois Roads - N. Branch Chicago River bridges

North Branch Chicago River bridges



Kinzie Street WB, just north of downtown.


Grand St. EB, and looking north at the parallel Ohio St. span. "Ohio Street" here is actually the I-90/94 ramps to Ohio St. and from Ottawa St.


Chicago Ave. WB. Like Grand St., its draw signal has just the four "STOP" lenses, and no auxiliary solid reds.


Halsted St. NB across the North Branch Canal, leaving Goose Island. The North Branch Chicago River is on the west side of the island. Interestingly, with this new steel arch, only the river is navigable to tall boats, not the canal ostensibly constructed for such traffic. The eastern Division St. bridge is visible in the last photo; see it and the western bridge at the link at bottom.


North Ave., IL 64, EB across an unusual cable-stayed and link suspension bridge built in 2008, ending at a railroad bascule bridge south to Goose Island. Since this isn't a drawbridge, it's clearly the end of the navigable waterway; no traffic had come this far north since 1972. Any drawbridges north of here are historical relics that just haven't been replaced yet.


One look back west.


Cortland St. WB, with a bridge similar to Kinzie St. at first glance, but with a lower truss (not overhead the whole way) and symmetrical on each end.


Webster Ave. WB, with Ashland Avenue just to the northwest along the river.


Looking back east from Ashland at Webster. You can tell that the draw operator's building is no longer in use.


Obviously, my next move is to head north on Ashland Ave. This may be the most popular drawbridge truss style in Chicago, with the rounded ends and plates between the girders making each end seem like a solid block, though most Chicago bridges of this style are painted red.


Unlike any other bridge I saw (or have ever seen), Damen Ave. NB, with one look back south at the end.


Well to the north, this is Lawrence Ave. EB.

More North Branch Chicago River bridges along Division Street
Continue south to more bridges along the Chicago River
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