Chicago River Bridges and Tender Houses

Address: Chicago River Main Branch, North Branch and South Branch
Architect: Various
Year: c.1910-1940
Style: Various
Neighborhood: Various

Overview

Chicago is a city of bridges. In fact, Chicago has the largest collection of movable bascule bridges in the world and is recognized internationally as a leading innovator in bridge engineering. These iconic structures are vital landmarks in the city’s historic built environment. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Loop and the Chicago River were the epicenter of the city’s economic engine. Vehicle and boat traffic were in constant competition, so bridge engineers needed to innovate newer, larger, faster, stronger operable bridges. The result is a remarkable collection of movable bridges, many with exposed riveted steel evocative of a heroic industrial age. Paired with these amazing structures are the bridge tender houses, which house the operations for raising and lowering the bridges as needed. By the 1910s, these tender houses went from the simple, utilitarian structures to remarkably beautiful gateways. This was likely influenced by the City Beautiful Movement and documents such as the Plan of Chicago by Burnham and Bennett.

Today, many of these bridges and bridge tender houses need significant repair and sometimes replacement of the metal span. We fully support the necessary investment to make sure these essential infrastructure elements retain their function. Additionally, we encourage stakeholders and decision-makers to value and retain the historic appearance and design aesthetic of our bridges and bridge tender houses. They are highly visible, characteristic symbols of Chicago. Replacing them with non-descript highway-standard bridges would be a significant loss.

Resource Inventory
Ashland Ave. North Branch Bridge
Built: 1936
Built By: Ketler-Elliott Company and City of Chicago

Branch: North River Branch
Located: 2225 N. Ashland Ave
Construction: Metal Rivet Connected Pratt Pony Truss, Movable Double Leaf Bascule (Fixed Trunnion) and Approach Spans, Metal Stringer (Multi Beam), Fixed
Length: 386.5 ft
No. Bridgehouses: 2
Operable Status: Bridge Locked

Brief Narrative History: The Ashland Avenue Bridge over the North Branch of the Chicago River is among the second generation of Chicago Bascule Bridges and is the first bridge in this location. The construction of this bridge helped Ashland Avenue become a significant north-south thoroughfare, and like the Michigan Avenue Bridge, was called for by the 1909 Plan of Chicago. Planning for improvements to Ashland Avenue began in 1922, and the bridge was ultimately completed with some PWA funds in 1936. The bridge received a major rehabilitation in 1993 and was converted to a fixed span in 1995.

Threats: While the Chicago Art Deco Society has recommended the Ashland Avenue Bridge for Chicago Landmark status, bridges outside Chicago’s Loop face different preservation challenges than those along the main branch of the river or closer to the Loop. Many bridges beyond downtown receive different levels of maintenance and have deteriorated more than those downtown. Further, the bas-relief carvings on bridge house exteriors are unique. While some bridges beyond the Loop featured similar carvings, many of them have been demolished, including the one at Ogden Avenue. The decorative element on the Ashland Avenue Bridge is more common on bridges inside the Loop and is most famous on bridges like the Michigan Avenue Bridge. Because the Ashland Avenue bridge is further from the Loop, it is not as well-known or as well-visited. Therefore, it is more threatened than the iconic bridges in the Loop.

LaSalle Street Bridge
Built: 1928
Built By: Strobel Steel Construction Company and City of Chicago
Branch: Main River Branch
Located:
Construction: Metal Rivet Connected Pratt Pony Truss,
Movable: Double Leaf Bascule (Fixed Trunnion) and Approach Spans: Metal Stringer (Multi-Beam), Fixed
Length: 347 ft
No. Bridgehouses: 4 Operable
Status: Scheduled Lifts

Brief Narrative History: The LaSalle Street bridge is the first river crossing at this location. However, it was built on top of one of two pedestrian and streetcar tunnels underneath the river, the second of which was located at Washington Street. The LaSalle and Washington tunnels were constructed as an efficient means of transportation across the river, but were never as successful as above-ground transportation. The LaSalle Street Bridge was constructed above the tunnel in 1928. In 2015, the City of Chicago planned a major restoration effort to address maintenance issues with the bridge; repairs are now expected to begin in 2026.

Threats: With such a significant delay between announcing the rehabilitation project and starting this project, it’s unclear what the City will be doing with the LaSalle Street Bridge. Although rehabilitation and restoration were part of the original 2015 plan, conditions may have continued to worsen over the interceding years. The City’s plan will need to be evaluated carefully to understand compliance with contemporary preservation standards.

Chicago Avenue Bridge
Built: 1914
Built By: Ketler-Elliott Company and City of Chicago
Branch: North River Branch
Located:
Construction: Metal Pratt Pony Truss, Movable: Double Leaf
Bascule (Fixed Trunnion) and Approach Spans: Metal Stringer
(Multi-Beam), Fixed
Length: 291 ft
No. Bridgehouses: 2
Operable Status: Locked

Brief Narrative History: The first bridges over the North Branch of the Chicago River at Chicago Avenue were wood or wood and steel construction fixed bridges. The very first bridge at this location was constructed in 1849. This bridge replaced nearby bridges at Union and Pearson streets and was in service for ten years before being replaced by two successive swing bridges. The Pratt Pony Truss bridge at Chicago Avenue was constructed in 1914. During construction, a temporary pontoon bridge was installed in order to preserve the flow of traffic. The bridge was rehabilitated or redecked in 1968, 1969 and 1992. The City unveiled plans to demolish the bridge in 2018.

Demolition: The Chicago Avenue Bascule bridge was demolished as the area around it was being revitalized. The new design is a fixed-concrete tied-arch bridge that doesn’t appear anything like the historic Pratt Pony Truss. City of Chicago news releases don’t indicate the status of any historic materials and it appeared that no interested parties took components of the bridge during the demolition process. While interested third-parties such as the Chicago Art Deco Society and HistoricBridges.org have a vested interest in the status of this bridge, it is difficult to find information concerning the project’s present-day status in contemporary media.

Clark Street Bridge
Built: 1929
Built By: Ketler-Elliott Company and City of Chicago
Branch: Main River Branch
Located:
Construction: Metal Rivet Connected Pratt Pony Truss, Movable: Double Leaf Bascule (Fixed Trunnion) and Approach Spans: Metal Stringer (Multi Beam), Fixed
Length: 346 ft
No. Bridgehouses: 2
Operable Status: Scheduled Lifts

Michigan Avenue DuSable Bridge
Built: 1920
Built By: Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company and City of Chicago
Branch: Main River Branch
Located: 333 Michigan Ave, Chicago IL 60601
Construction: Metal Rivet Connected Pratt Deck Truss, Movable: Double Leaf Bascule (Fixed Trunnion) and Approach Spans: Metal Stringer (Multi Beam), Fixed
Length: 400 ft
No. Bridgehouses: 4
Operable Status: Scheduled Lifts

Brief Narrative History: Ideas for improving Michigan Avenue started with Daniel Burnham’s 1909 Plan of Chicago. In 1918, this part of the Plan of Chicago began when construction started on the bridge and the adjacent Michigan Avenue widening project. The Michigan Avenue bridge also replaced the nearby Rush Avenue bridge. While the Rush Avenue bridge is significant in its own right, both for its early all-steel construction and its terrible horse-and-buggy traffic, the Michigan Avenue bridge provided much-needed improvements in both design and daily life to Chicagoans looking to access the Loop. However, the Rush Avenue bridge was rebuilt several times in its short life, and its issues necessitated a bold solution. Because of this, and Daniel Burnham’s 1909 Plan, city engineers proposed the Michigan Avenue bridge, which was engineered by Hugh E. Young and Thomas Pihfeldt with collaboration from Edward Bennett. It was put into service for vehicular traffic on May 14, 1920. While prior rehabilitation efforts removed historic railings, a significant rehabilitation in 2009 restored the bridge to its historic condition, including its ornate rails.

Threats: The Michigan Avenue bridge may not seem to have many rehabilitation threats at first glance. It is a beloved symbol of Chicago, a heavily trafficked roadway and home to a museum. However, the bridge’s last significant rehabilitation was in 2009. Ongoing maintenance is a concern and the limestone is showing staining and cracking.

Washington Blvd Bridge
Built: 1913
Built By: Strobel Steel Construction Company and City of Chicago
Branch: South River Branch
Located:
Construction: Metal Rivet Connected Pratt Pony Truss, Movable: Double Leaf Bascule (Fixed Trunnion) and Approach Spans: Metal Stringer (Multi-Beam), Fixed
Length: 303.5 ft
No. Bridgehouses: 2
Operable Status: Scheduled Lifts

Brief Narrative History: The Washington Boulevard bridge is located on the site of an earlier 1875 swing bridge, which carried traffic in the same spot over the river. In 1891, this earlier bridge was replaced by the Madison Street bridge, which was floated into place. As the city grew and bridge engineering at the city level improved, the Department of Public Works created designs for a new bridge at Washington Boulevard, which was then known as Washington Street. City bridge engineer Alexander von Babo patented improvements to the truss in 1911, and these improvements were used in the design of the bridge. The bridge was completed and opened to traffic in May of 1913. It is among the oldest of the city’s remaining operable bascule bridges.

Threats: Due to the bridge’s age, the ability to raise and lower the Washington Boulevard bridge needs to be carefully assessed by present-day engineers. Unfortunately, rehabilitation efforts since the opening of the bridge in 1913 have resulted in removal of decorative finials from the trusses.

Wabash Avenue Irv Kupcinet Bridge
Built: 1930
Built By: Ketler-Elliott Company and City of Chicago
Branch: Main River Branch
Located: 330 N Wabash Ave Chicago, IL 60611
Construction: Metal Rivet Connected Pratt Railing Height Truss, Movable: Double Leaf Bascule (Fixed Trunnion) and Approach Spans: Metal Stringer
(Multi-Beam), Fixed
Length: 345.2 ft
No. Bridgehouses: 2
Operable Status: Scheduled Lifts

Brief Narrative History: The Wabash Avenue bridge is one of the latest bridges constructed under the auspices of the Plan of Chicago. It was completed in 1930. Unlike some of its peers, it was the first bridge at this site. It helped relieve some of the congestion along the Michigan Avenue bridge to the east. After its completion, the American Institute of Steel Construction awarded it the “most beautiful bridge” award for its elegant solution to the problem of its span. The Wabash Avenue bridge underwent significant rehabilitation and repairs in 1959 and 1967. In 1985, the bridge was dedicated to longtime Chicago Sun-Times columnist Irv “Cup” Kupcinet. The bridge is not without its controversies, however, and in 2010, a proposal to sell the advertising rights of the bridge was passed by the City of Chicago.

Threats: Although the 2010 plan to advertise on the bridge house did not lead to continual advertising on the Wabash Avenue bridge house, emergency budgeting measures in 2025 included proposals to place ads on the city’s bridge houses. The Wabash Avenue bridge is therefore once again threatened by the idea of turning bridge tender house surfaces into advertising revenue sources. The Wabash Avenue bridge is also facing age-related maintenance challenges and should be restored as soon as possible.

Threats

The many bridges and iconic bridge tender houses lining the Chicago River’s main canal and north and south branches are aging and showing signs of wear and tear. Preservation Chicago observes that many bridges and tender houses need repair. There is cracking and missing stonework and surfaces that haven’t been painted in many years. Metalwork appears to need repair, components are missing and general maintenance seems to be languishing or deferred in many cases.

We are hoping repairs could fend off larger capital projects in the future. But if major improvements are undertaken, they should be done in a way that doesn’t adversely impact the original design of the bridges and tender houses.

Recommendations

Preservation Chicago would like the bridges and bridge tender houses to be repaired, saved and restored, as these are major features of our city and the Central Area. Many of these structures were impacted and built after the release of Burnham and Bennett’s Plan of Chicago, and part of the Chicago Beautiful Movement. These decorative bridge tender houses and the bridge spans set a new standard of design, and many are highly recognized structures in the Loop, Central Area and neighboring communities.

In the past year, Preservation Chicago has submitted a formal “Suggestion for Landmark” document and presentation, requesting the City of Chicago and elected officials consider a Chicago Landmark Designation for these many bascule bridges and their often grand-style tender houses. We have examples of other bridges and tender houses given Chicago Landmark status, so there’s a precedent for such designations. Examples of other bridge structures that have been given Chicago Landmark status in the past, included the Michigan Avenue-DuSable Bridge, the Cortland Street Bridge, and numerous historic railroad bridges throughout the city. These railroad bridges are often industrial-type bridge structures located along the Chicago River, Calumet and Little Calumet Rivers, Bubbly Creek, and also near the Sanitary and Ship Canal.

Preservation Chicago encourages stakeholders and decision makers to recognize the need for funding and repairs, while appreciating and investing in these assets. Together we can both recognize and celebrate our shared engineering and industrial heritage, while also modeling the adaptability and utility of these amazing 20th century structures.