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Abandoned Dearborn Street Bridge (Grand Boulevard)

Through Plate Girder Bridge over S. Dearborn Street
Grand Boulevard, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name Abandoned Dearborn Street Bridge (Grand Boulevard)
Built By Chicago Junction Railway
Contractor American Bridge Company of New York
Currently Owned By City of Chicago
Length 70 Feet Total
Width 2 Tracks, Abutments Built For 3
Height Above Ground 15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Through Plate Girder
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built 1905
Traffic Count 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Abandoned)
Current Status Abandoned
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date December 2018


Located in the Grand Boulevard neighborhood of Chicago, this bridge crosses South Dearborn Street at W. 40th Street.
Built in 1905 as the Chicago Junction Railway raised their tracks through the area, the bridge consists of a single through plate girder span, set onto concrete substructures. While the bridge was originally built for three tracks, only two tracks remain.
In addition, the bridge consists of a ballasted deck. This deck has protected the bridge since construction, leading to lower than normal amounts of section loss. The bridge has been abandoned for many years, although it has not been removed.
This type of bridge is typical for early grade separations in Chicago.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, primarily due to the ballasted deck. It is unknown who currently owns the bridge.

The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Chicago track elevation ordinances
Contractor American Bridge Company plaque
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele