Located in the town of Lemont, this unique swing bridge crosses the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near Stephen Street.
Built in 1898, this bridge features a massive pin connected Pratt Through Truss bobtail swing span. This swing span features a southern leaf of ten panels, and a northern leaf of five panels. The bridge rests on stone substructures.
Bobtail swing spans are rather rare. However, a few were built in the Chicago area. The Santa Fe considered the span to be a "balance draw span", meaning the shorter panel has to make up for the weight of the larger panel to operate correctly.
It is likely that a bobtail design was chosen for this location, due to the geometry of the crossing. It is clear that the swing span no longer operates.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with some minor deterioration.
The author has ranked the bridge as being highly significant, due to the unique design.
The photo above is an overview.
| Upstream | IHB Sanitary and Ship Canal Bridge |
| Downstream | Confluence with Des Plaines River |