Michigan Ave Bridge


Bridges, Chicago-style
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Bridges, Chicago-style


The DuSable Bridge may look like an ordinary bridge. But it and many others along the river were specially engineered to make it faster and easier for commercial ships to carry their goods in and out of the river. Visit the bridge at the right time, and you will see it temporarily raised to make room for large boats and barges below. Chicago has 37 moveable bridges, most of which are known as Chicago-style drawbridges. This one is the most celebrated in the city.

Chicago engineers experimented with several bridge designs in the 1800s to find one that would allow boats to easily navigate the river and safely hold the weight of heavy traffic. The first moveable bridge was built over Dearborn Street, but it was soon dismantled. It wasn't until 1902 that engineers completed the first Chicago-style drawbridge. The design is considered a major engineering advance and has served as the prototype for most of the bridges in the Chicago area, including the DuSable Bridge. The original bridge, which spans the river at Cortland Street, is still in use today.
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