| Clark Street Bridge | |
|---|---|
Clark Street Bridge, 1987 |
|
| Carries | Motor Vehicles, Pedestrians |
| Crosses | Chicago River |
| Locale | Chicago |
| Total length | 346 ft (105m)[1] |
| Width | 215 ft (66m)[2] |
| Longest span | 215 ft (66m)[2] |
| Clearance below | 20 ft (6m)[1] |
| Construction end | 1929 |
| Opened | 1929 |
The Clark Street Bridge is a bascule bridge that spans the Chicago River in downtown Chicago, connecting the Near North Side with The Loop.[1]
The current bridge, which was completed in 1929,[2] is the third bridge to span the river at this point. In 1853 the original bridge was struck by a steamer, called the London, and collapsed, blocking traffic on the river. The bridge was dredged and river traffic resumed on September 8.[3] In 1854, the city approved an expenditure of $12,000 to replace the bridge with a pivot bridge.[4] During the Lager Beer Riot in 1855, the bridge was pivoted to help contain the rioters.[5]
The Eastland was supposed to sail from the dock at the Clark Street Bridge on July 24, 1915 when it capsized.[6]
In 1916, Carl Sandburg wrote the poem "Clark Street Bridge". [7]
|
|||||||||||||||