Illinois Central Railroad Swing Bridge 2

Address: North of the Stevenson Expressway, East of Kedzie Ave. (Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal) Year Built: 1899 - 1900 Architect: Sanitary District of Chicago Date Designated a Chicago Landmark: December 12, 2007

Spanning the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal north of the Stevenson Expressway; the Illinois Central Railroad Swing Bridge was originally built for the Chicago, Madison & Northern Railroad. The span is made from a single steel truss which measures 479'-5" in length and at the time of its completion was the longest swing span ever erected. The bridge rests on a center pier situated in the middle of the canal. When operational, the bridge would pivot on the center pier to create a navigable channel on either side. Today, the IC Railroad Bridge is one of the few center-bearing swing-span bridges that remain and possesses a distinctive visual presence that can be seen from the Stevenson Expressway and Kedzie Avenue.