The Wabash Avenue Bridge (officially, Irv Kupcinet Bridge) over the

Chicago River The Chicago River is a system of rivers and canals with a combined length of that runs through the city of Chicago, including its center (the Chicago Loop). Though not especially long, the river is notable because it is one of the reasons fo ...

was built in 1930. Standing west of the

Michigan Avenue Bridge The DuSable Bridge (formerly the Michigan Avenue Bridge) is a bascule bridge that carries Michigan Avenue across the main stem of the Chicago River in downtown Chicago, Illinois, United States. The bridge was proposed in the early 20th century a ...

and east of Marina City, the bascule bridge connects the Near North Side with " The Loop" area. The single-deck, double-leaf bascule bridge was designed by Thomas Pihlfeldt and built by the Ketler and Elliot Company. The American Institute of Steel Construction awarded it the "Most Beautiful" bridge in 1930. The control houses for controlling bridge operations are on the northwest and southwest corners of the bridge. The control houses are identical in design. In 1961 the control houses were upgraded to allow single man operation. Electrical modernization also accompanied this upgrade. While the northern control house is no longer in use, it still stands.

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*{{HAER , survey=IL-48 , id=il0613 , title=Bascule Bridge, Wabash Avenue, Spanning Chicago River at North Wabash Avenue, Chicago, Cook County, IL
Google Earth Model
1930 establishments in Illinois Bascule bridges in the United States Bridges completed in 1930 Bridges in Chicago Historic American Engineering Record in Chicago Road bridges in Illinois Steel bridges in the United States

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