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| 20150502 0713, South Elevation |
1967: (Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Ugly Bridges; Satellite)
The 18th Street Bridge is unusual for a road bridge because it has only one movable span, which is 182 feet long. I was shocked to learn from Ugly Bridges that its superstructure needed fixing and its deck needed replacement because it looked pretty good to me. And because this is a rather modern bridge by Chicago's standards having been built in 1967. Then I learned from Historic Bridges that "This bridge is slated for rehabilitation to run from December 2014 to April 2015 at a cost of $5.4 Million. The work is to include new roadway deck and sidewalk deck, truss repairs, and unspecified repairs to the floor beams and lateral bracing." So I'm seeing it soon after it had been repaired. So it should look pretty good.
The 18th Street Bridge is unusual for a road bridge because it has only one movable span, which is 182 feet long. I was shocked to learn from Ugly Bridges that its superstructure needed fixing and its deck needed replacement because it looked pretty good to me. And because this is a rather modern bridge by Chicago's standards having been built in 1967. Then I learned from Historic Bridges that "This bridge is slated for rehabilitation to run from December 2014 to April 2015 at a cost of $5.4 Million. The work is to include new roadway deck and sidewalk deck, truss repairs, and unspecified repairs to the floor beams and lateral bracing." So I'm seeing it soon after it had been repaired. So it should look pretty good.
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| MWRD posted A view looking north at the nearly complete bridge at 18th Street over the South Branch of the Chicago River on January 26, 1905. MWRD posted [same comment] Bridges Now and Then posted "A view looking north at the nearly complete bridge at 18th Street over the South Branch of the Chicago River on January 26, 1905." (MWRD) |
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| MWRD posted A swing bridge over the South Branch of the Chicago River at 18th Street, viewed to the northeast on November 12, 1902. The Sanitary District (now MWRD) replaced this bridge with a Scherzer Rolling Lift bascule bridge that opened to the public in 1908. It was one of 12 bridges the MWRD replaced over the Chicago River Main Stem and South Branch in the early 1900s in order to increase flow capacity and provide more room for navigation. |
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| MWRD posted A view of work on the east side of the bridge at 22nd Street (now Cermak) over the South Branch of the Chicago River on November 29, 1904. [The Cermak Bridge label is incorrect. See the comments in the Cermak post for the arguments that it is the 18th Street Bridge.] |
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| MWRD posted on Dec 26, 2022 A view of the east approach for a bridge at 18th Street over the South Branch of the Chicago River on June 10, 1904. |
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| MWRD posted on Mar 29, 2023 A swing bridge over the South Branch of the Chicago River at 18th Street, viewed to the northeast on November 12, 1902. The Sanitary District (now MWRD) replaced this bridge with a Scherzer Rolling Lift bascule bridge that opened to the public in 1908. It was one of 12 bridges the MWRD replaced over the Chicago River Main Stem and South Branch in the early 1900s to increase flow capacity and provide more room for navigation. |
I had been waiting to publish until I got better light than my 20150502 pictures. But I'm sure you can find better pictures in Bridge Hunter and/or Historic Bridges anyhow.
I took this picture to confirm that an oil train is still passing on the Canal Street RR Bridge, but it does provide an image of the north elevation. A video of this bridge going up also shows the St. Charles Airline Bridge in a raised position.
According to Historic Bridges, the first two bridges built here were hand turned swing bridges. The one built in 1868 was made of iron and wood whereas the one built in 1888 was made of iron and steel. In 1905 a steel Scherzer Rolling Lift bascule bridge was built. In 1967 the current fixed trunnion bascule bridge was built. Below are pictures of the Scherzer bridge.
According to Historic Bridges, the first two bridges built here were hand turned swing bridges. The one built in 1868 was made of iron and wood whereas the one built in 1888 was made of iron and steel. In 1905 a steel Scherzer Rolling Lift bascule bridge was built. In 1967 the current fixed trunnion bascule bridge was built. Below are pictures of the Scherzer bridge.
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| Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridges, 1908 |
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| Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridges, 1908 |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the 18th Street bridge in Chicago, Illinois, on January 26, 1905, viewed from southwest side of bridge with the east leaf up. |
This bridge is peaking throughthe South Branch Bridge under the control house.
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| Al Krasauskas posted Photographic view of the former Railroad Swing Bridge over the South Branch of the Chicago River. Originally built by P. F. W. & C. R. R. (Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Rail Road). I believe the view is actually northeast, towards downtown Chicago. Photograph is dated 8-7-09. Paul Webb shared |
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| Digitally Zoomed to Photo Resolution |
Another view of the rolling bridge is in the background of this video:
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| Screenshot |
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| MWRD posted Historical Photo of the Week: A view of 18th Street near the South Branch of the Chicago River is seen in this photo from November 12, 1902. The image was shot from the bridge looking west. [The bridge was still a fixed truss in 1902 because the Scherzer Rolling Bridge was not built until 1905.The grain elevator on the left was the Indiana Elevator. I think the photo was shot from a viaduct truss over the railroad tracks and the truss in the center of the photo is over the river.] MWRD posted A view to the west of 18th Street near the South Branch of the Chicago River on November 12, 1902. MWRD posted A view to the west of 18th Street near the South Branch of the Chicago River is seen in this photo from November 12, 1902. |
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| MWRD posted A westward view of cofferdam construction at 18th Street and the South Branch of the Chicago River on August 30, 1904. The workers were building an addition to the cofferdam to correct a leak. |
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| MWRD posted A view looking west at construction of the 18th Street bridge in Chicago, Illinois, on January 26, 1905. MWRD posted again |
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| Paul Jervert commented on Dennis' share I ran I.C. Freight transfer trains across those "diamond's and special work" daily between Markham and Hawthorne and Industry jobs out of Glenn Yard back in 1972 to 1980. Also Amtrak from Union Station to Brighton Park Shop and Bloomington / St. Louis.from 1987-1990 ! Invariably most every time I crossed there would be a MOW welder and his flagman standing next to him as I passed and he would of course stop his work and stand away from the site. The tower leverman in front of the So.Branch Bridge would have the route levers on the machine sleeved and RED tagged out ! photo: AT&SF Dennis DeBruler I assume they were quick to rip out the five C&WI tracks as soon as they were abandoned because of the maintenance issues. So I assume those tracks were gone by 1987 and the crossing was a lot simpler. I just looked at what is left of the crossing. I didn't realize the CN/IC+former Santa Fe tracks crosses the Amtrak+Metra+NS/Pennsy tracks at a 45-degree angle. That obviously makes tie placement a real challenge. https://www.google.com/.../@41.8540939,-87.../data=!3m1!1e3 Also, your photo provides a nice view of the former 1908 18th Street Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge and the 18th Street Viaduct back when it used truss spans. |
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| MWRD posted Dennis DeBruler: In the right background is an incredible view of what the Schoenhofen Brewery used to look like. |
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