Bridges do more than connect points. The Roosevelt Road Bridge tells a story of Chicago’s growth. It tells of innovation and the constant reshaping of the city’s landscape. This bridge isn’t just steel and concrete. It’s a testament to Chicago’s ambition.
The Roosevelt Road Bridge stands about three miles from the Chicago River mouth. It carries traffic east to west. This location has seen four bridges. The current Roosevelt Road Bridge opened November 22, 1930. The city extensively rehabbed it in 1995.
The Roosevelt Road Bridge is a metal Pratt deck truss. Rivets connect it. It’s a movable double-leaf bascule bridge with fixed trunnions. Approach spans use metal stringers. The largest span stretches 204 feet. The total length measures 257.4 feet. Its deck is 71.8 feet wide. It features one main span and two approach spans.
Keep an eye out for the unique, round bridge keeper houses. They are a distinctive feature. The Division of Bridges and Viaducts City of Chicago designed the bridge. Kettler Elliot Erection Company Chicago built the superstructure. Fitzsimmons and Connell Dredge and Dock Company built the east substructure. The western substructure was built by M.E. White Company. Norwood and Noonan Company handled the electrics. C.E. Carson Company constructed the bridge tender houses. Construction cost $2,050,116.
Back in the 1850s, local property owners raised $2,000. They sought to build a bridge across the south branch of the Chicago River near 12th Street. They secured city approval. They even got a $1,000 appropriation. That first bridge opened in the fall of 1855. It was a hand-operated wood pontoon swing bridge. City Superintendent John Van Osdel built it. The city removed this First 12th Street Bridge in 1868.
The south branch widened in 1868. A second 12th Street Bridge opened April 28, 1868. James K. Thompson oversaw construction. He was City Supervisor of Streets. This bridge was a hand-operated swing bridge with wood and iron. It featured an improved turntable. Its design used a refined Howe truss. Fox and Howard designed and built it. Construction cost $44,500. The city removed it in 1887.
The third 12th Street Bridge opened in June 1887. It was the first all-steel bridge built by the City of Chicago. It was electric powered. This bridge was 220 feet long and 49 feet wide. The Superstructure Contractor was Chicago Forge and Bolt Company. FitzSimons and Connell Company built the substructure. The cost was $101,010. Extensive viaducts led to the bridge on both sides.
The bridge was involved in a crash with a vessel in 1889. In 1899, workers replanked and replaced parts of the bridge. Upgrades occurred in 1902. These included the protection piers, boiler machinery, floor beams, and stringers. A new danger signal system was installed in 1908. Workers serviced the locks, spider rods, and engines. Boilers were overhauled. The steam plant was rebuilt and boilers were overhauled in 1910. In 1913, workers repainted the ironworks. They added pilings to the protection piers. The boilers were overhauled again. The city closed and removed the bridge in 1920.
Following Teddy Roosevelt’s death in 1919, they renamed 12th Street to Roosevelt Road. Today’s Roosevelt Road Bridge opened November 22, 1930. The Roosevelt Road Bridge operates several times a year. Most of these lifts happen during the spring and fall. They’re scheduled for Wednesdays and Saturday or Sunday mornings.
The Roosevelt Road Bridge stands as a vital artery. It symbolizes Chicago’s blend of history. It also embodies continuous progress. As you cross, remember the generations who built and rebuilt it. They shaped Chicago’s iconic cityscape.