The most famous bascule bridge in the world is the Tower Bridge in London. Bascule bridges over Chicago River being raised to clear the way for a group of boats. The bridge most identified with Chicago, the trunnion bascule, was developed in 1900, and the first one built, opened in 1902, remains at Cortland Street. This bridge is a wide six lane structure. After a year, Strauss left Rall and opened up his own office in Chicago under the name of Strauss Bascule & Concrete Bridge Company. Chicago-type Bascule bridges use a system of counterweights, gears and motors to rotate the "leaves" of the bridge up and back. 111 E. Wacker Dr. Chicago, IL 60601. How It Works. At this time, 1902, the City of Chicago had developed an improved plan for bascule bridges and built its first one, a trunnion bascule, at Clybourn place with the counterweight under the approach to the span. Adams Street Swing Bridge (1889) (Cook County, Illinois) Built 1889 to replace earlier 1869 swing bridge; replaced 1927 Home Learn Resources Architecture Dictionary trunnion bascule bridge. The Michigan Avenue Bridge is a fixed trunnion bascule bridge, a type known throughout the world as a “Chicago-type bascule bridge.” It is thought to be the first double-deck, double-leaf bascule bridge ever built, a type known throughout the world as a Chicago style bascule bridge. This is one of the latest examples of the pony truss bascule bridge design that features curved pony trusses with riveted connections as was fairly common in Chicago. Historic American Engineering Record, Creator, Chicago Bridge Division, Department Of Public Works, Richard M Daley, Sponsor Chicago Department Of Transportation, Thomas R Walker, S L Kaderbek, and Jeffrey A Hess, Lowe, Jet, photographer. Bascule bridge over Calumet River on E 100th Street in Chicago Location Chicago, Cook County, Illinois Status Open to traffic History Built 1927 Design Bascule Dimensions Length of largest span: 232.8 ft. Total length: 326.0 ft. Deck width: 38.0 ft. Bascule bridge over South Branch Chicago River on Adams Street (former westbound US 66) in Chicago Open to traffic. Beginning with the Chicago Avenue Bridge and the Washington Boulevard Bridge , there was a marked increase in the aesthetic details of city bascule … Buildings of Chicago. 312.922.8687. info@architecture.org. Left: DN-0056536, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society. The bridge's leaves are suspended on axles (trunnions), with the counterweights in a riverbank pit. It was around this time that the Chicago Plan Commission began collaborating with the city's Bridge Division during the design of bridges like the Chicago Avenue Bridge. The Wabash Avenue Bridge (officially, Irv Kupcinet Bridge) over the Chicago River was built in 1930. It was designed by Joseph Strauss, who would later become famous as the chief engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge. An operator situated in the control room on the side of the bridge controls the traffic gates and signals and all the mechanisms for raising and lowering the spans. The DuSable is probably Chicago’s most important. The last bridge on this site was installed in 1910 and was no ordinary Chicago-style trunnion bascule bridge. In This Section. This bridge still operates for boats as do all the Calumet River bascule bridges. Approximate latitude, longitude +41.71378, … Right: HABS ILL,16-CHIG,167-9. Standing west of the Michigan Avenue Bridge and east of Marina City, the bascule bridge connects the Near North Side with "The Loop" area. ... Chicago Architecture Center - CAC. trunnion bascule bridge. The bridge was opened to traffic on June 27, 1958. Stay Connected. Stay Connected Subscribe. In 2010, the bridge was officially renamed DuSable Bridge in honor of Chicago’s first permanent resident, Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, whose homesite abuts the northern end of the bridge.