Steel Bridge

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steel bridge
Steel Bridge
Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal


The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal was built in 1900 to replace the small Illinois and Michigan Canal that connected the Great Lakes (lake Michigan) to the Mississippi River. Prior to the completion of this canal, Chicago's waste water was dumped into Lake Michigan - the source of water for the city.

The modern canal is 28 miles long, 202 feet wide, and 24 feet deep, allowing plenty of room for barge traffic as well as an outlet for the city's treated waste water.

1 comment:

Eddie said...

Hi Tom!
I grew up approximately 1 mile north of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in My old neighborhood.
Sometimes I would go and watch the barge traffic after I would get out of Washburne Trade School in the afternoon back in the early 1980's.

The construction of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal began in the year of 1892, and was completed in 1900. If You will notice, there are many old and long since decommisioned Swing bridges and draw bridges along the canal today.

South Kedzie Avenue originally had a narrow two lane railroad style swing bridge that was taken out of service in 1969. The removal of this bridge caused the CTA to convert the Route # 52 Kedzie/ California Avenue bus line from electric trolley buses utilizing twin overhead wires, to diesel and propane bus operation.

South Halsted Street and Ashland Avenue, still have working draw bridges due to boat storage yards below the two bridges today.

Thank You.
Eddie.