Sunday, March 20, 2016

1937 Lake Shore Drive Drawbridge

From Library of Congress
(Bridge Hunter, Historic Bridges, Satellite, Bird's Eye View (the view of the east elevation is backlit, the west elevation doesn't work) Loop Bridges)

"This bridge is unusual for being a double-deck bascule bridge, and it also carries one of the heaviest traffic counts for a moveable bridge anywhere." (Bridge Hunter)

You can see many more views in the S-drive pictures.
Jeff Davies posted
New Outer Drive Bridge - Chicago's skyline glimpsed between the up-raised spans of the new Outer-Drive Bridge to be dedicated by President Roosevelt on his visit to the city on October 5. The bridge links North and South Outer Drives across the Chicago River, allowing a high speed traffic to travel along Lake Michigan's shore without a stop from far south to the far north side of the city. A Public Works Administration allotment of $1,972,363 made possible the construction of this project.
DPLA.
Update:
Bridges Now and Then posted
Chicago's Lake Shore Drive Bridge, June, 1956. (Harold Mayer)
 
Opening of the Outer Drive Bridge - 1937
Marty Swartz also posted
Thousands attend the opening of the Outer Drive Bridge, also known as the Link Bridge, on what is now Lake Shore Drive at the mouth of the Chicago River on October 5, 1937. The bridge was intended to ease congestion on Michigan Avenue and in 1937 it was one of the longest, widest, and heaviest bascule bridges. — Chicago Tribune historical photo

James Stein posted, his Dad's photo, released to the public domain
The famous S curve
Eugene Klichowski: Although the bridge construction was started in 1929, the depression halted construction until federal aid got the bridge completed in 1937.
Francis O'Connor: Baby Ruth, Butterfinger factory in shot as well.


David M Laz posted
Looking east toward the Outer Drive bridge at the mouth of the Chicago River during its' construction, circa Sept. 16, 1936. The bridge cost $11.5 million to build and when completed was the longest and widest bascule bridge in the world, the Tribune reported.
Raymond Kunst added
David M Laz posted
The new Outer Drive Bridge being built over the Chicago River, circa July 12, 1932. The bridge was finished and dedicated in 1937, nearly 30 years after it was first proposed in Daniel Burnham's plan of 1909.
David M Laz posted
An aerial view of the opening of the Outer Drive bridge in Chicago on Oct. 5, 1937
[
I saved this photo more for the industrial buildings and the pile of coal in front of the building with the smokestacks than for the crowd of people on the S-Curve.]

Noach Hoffman posted
"Erecting the Lake Shore Drive Bridge" by Richard A. Chase. Circa 1936 Oil on masonite 38 x 28" Collection of the Chicago History Museum.

ChicagoLoopBridges posted
The Lake Shore Drive marks 80 years on October 5th. Some history at: http://chicagoloopbridges.com/bridges12/MS12/LSD12-4.html
Jeff Bransky ChicagoLoopBridges That reminds me. I saw the top of the Bounty mast get snapped off because they strayed out off the center of the river entering the city. What a tremendous cracking sound like a big tree being felled when the mast struck the fully raised bridge. In the early years of the tall ships festival, the event was held on the river. It was a user friendly setting where you could look at the side and deck of the ships as apposed to Navy Pier where you look down into the ship and can’t enjoy the shape of the hull.

Photo from LC-USF34-063105-D from LOT 1073, Jul 1941Five p.m. traffic on North Shore Boulevard. Chicago, Illinois
[I wonder if the Lake Shore Drive (Outer Drive) is now this sparse at 2:00am.]

safe_image for RoadsBridges
NB Lake Shore Drive shuts down due to emergency structural repair in Chicago
[Two cracked steel beams]


Raised for a bridge. Being constructed. The Tribunes photo of the grand opening.

VintageTribune photo of early construction

VintageTribune aerial of Lake Shore Drive Bridge raised for the Medusa Challenger

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