DuSable Bridge
The DuSable Bridge (formerly the Michigan Avenue Bridge) is a bascule bridge that carries Michigan Avenue across the main stem of the Chicago River in downtown Chicago, Illinois, United States. The bridge was proposed in the early 20th century as part of a plan to link Grant Park (downtown) and Lincoln Park (uptown) with a grand boulevard. Construction of the bridge started in 1918, it opened to traffic in 1920, and decorative work was completed in 1928. The bridge provides passage for vehicles and pedestrians on two levels. An example of a fixed trunnion bascule bridge (which is also known as a "Chicago style bascule bridge"), it may be raised to allow tall ships and boats to pass underneath. The bridge is included in the Michigan–Wacker Historic District and has been designated as a Chicago Landmark.
DuSable Bridge | |
|---|---|
DuSable (Michigan Avenue) Bridge viewed from the west | |
| Coordinates | 41°53′19.9″N 87°37′27.7″W |
| Carries | Michigan Avenue |
| Crosses | Chicago River |
| Locale | Chicago |
| Heritage status | Chicago Landmark |
| ID number | 000016612026812 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Double-leaf, double-deck, fixed counterweight, trunnion bascule bridge |
| Total length | 399 feet (122 m) |
| Width | 91.75 feet (27.97 m) |
| Longest span | 256 feet (78 m) between trunnions 220 feet (67 m) between piers |
| Clearance below | 16 feet (4.9 m) |
| History | |
| Designer | Bureau of Engineering, Chicago Department of Public Works |
| Construction start | April 15, 1918 |
| Construction end | 1920 |
| Opened | May 14, 1920 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 37900 (upper deck) 11700 (lower deck) |
| Location | |
The location is significant in the early history of Chicago, connecting on the north near the 1780s homestead site of Jean Baptiste Point du Sable and on the south the early 19th century site of Fort Dearborn. Events from the city's past are commemorated with sculptures and plaques on the bridge, and exhibits in the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum—housed in one of the bridge tender houses—detail the history of the Chicago River.