SOUTH OF KINZIE ST, EAST OF CANAL ST

KINZIE STREET BASCULE RAILROAD BRIDGE

CONSTRUCTED IN 1907 AND 1908 FOR THE USE OF THE CHICAGO AND NORTHWESTERN RAILWAY, THIS TWO-TRACK, STRAUSS-TYPE BASCULE BRIDGE ONCE BOASTED THE WORLD'S LONGEST BASCULE SPAN AT 170 FT. ITS LARGEST PIER, ON THE EAST BANK OF THE NORTH BRANCH OF THE CHICAGO RIVER, CARRIES THE ENTIRE WEIGHT OF BOTH THE SPAN AND ITS COUNTERWEIGHT, AND IS SUPPORTED BY A 40 BY 50 FT BLOCK CAISSON DRIVEN 50 FT BELOW THE RIVER'S SURFACE.

TO THE NORTH, KINZIE STREET IS EXTENDED OVER THE RIVER BY ITS OWN BRIDGE, ALSO OF 1908. THIS BRIDGE'S REPUTATION AS A NUISANCE BECAUSE OF ITS LOW CLEARANCE WAS REPLACED WITH TRUE NOTORIETY IN APRIL OF 1992, WHEN A PILE BEING DRIVEN INTO THE GROUND AT A NEARBY CONSTRUCTION SITE PUNCTURED AN ABANDONED FREIGHT TUNNEL UNDERNEATH IT, CAUSING MAJOR FLOODING THROUGHOUT THE LOOP.

SOURCES:

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS: HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING RECORD: "CHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY, KINZIE STREET BRIDGE"
HAER No. IL-142

AIA GUIDE TO CHICAGO, 2ND EDITION. SINKEVITCH, ED. NEW YORK: HARCOURT, 2004. p 144.

LINK:

THE SUBTERRANEAN TUNNELS OF CHICAGO