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The last bridge to cross the Chicago River before it splits into the north and south branches, this bridge crosses the river at an angle, connecting Franklin and Orleans Streets, and lies in the shadow of the massive Merchandise Mart building which inescapably defines the visual setting around the bridge.
This trunnion bascule bridge, which features a pony truss superstructure was built in 1920. The contractor for the substructure of the bridge was the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company. The superstructure contractor was the Ketler-Elliott Company, although "Elliott" is actually spelled with only one "t" (Elliot) as is the case on a couple bridges. The original electrical equipment was installed by C.H. Norwood. The bridge is 62 feet wide, and has a 220 foot clear span with a 251.8 foot trunnion-to-trunnion span. There is 18.7 feet of navigational vertical clearance listed for the bridge.
This bridge is similar to the nearby Clark and La Salle Street Bridges, although the trusses are not quite as high, and not as fully rounded at the ends as Clark and LaSalle. For comparison, the Grand Avenue Bridge is an example of the earlier pony truss design that eventually evolved into the design seen with bridges like the Franklin Street Bridge. The unusual shape of these bridges comes from the fact that each leaf of this double-leaf bascule bridge is essentially cantilevered out from the abutments, meaning that the each end of the bridge is supporting its half of the bridge out to the center independently of the other half of the bridge.
Franklin Street Bridge retains the beautiful original railing design which includes flowers set into the panels. These railings are among the most beautiful to be found in Chicago.
When the original railings, ornate bridgetender buildings, and gracefully curved pony trusses are taken into account it is quite easy to argue that the Franklin Street Bridge is among the most beautiful of Chicago's bridges.
The Franklin Street Bridge was featured prominently in an advertisement by the Strauss Bascule Bridge Company of Chicago as seen above, right. Ironically however, the company was not involved with the Franklin Street Bridge in any direct manner. However, the company's founder Joseph Strauss successfully sued the City of Chicago because the trunnion girder design that the city used was found to infringe upon a bascule bridge patent that Joseph Strauss had. Because the court upheld Strauss's lawsuit, Strauss was able to produce this advertisement saying that Chicago's bridges used the "Strauss patented support for the trunnions" even though the city never had any contact with Strauss or his company in the process of building the bridge.
Above: A photo taken as construction was nearly complete on the bridge.
Above: A photo showing a project in 1953 to replace the bridge deck.
Above: Charles H. Wacker, after whom Wacker Drive is named, was a Chair of the Chicago Plan Commission when the Franklin Street Bridge was built.
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Main Plaque WM. HALE THOMPSONMAYOR
HUGH E. YOUNG ENGINEER OF BRIDGE DESIGN CHICAGO PLAN COMMISSION E. H. BENNETT CONSULTING ARCHITECT CHICAGO CHAPT. OF AMER. INST. OF ARCH'TS. - CHICAGO ART COMM. CONSTRUCTION
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT BY C. H. NORWOOD 1920 |
Bridge Association Plaque BY AUTHORITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL THIS TABLET ISERECTED BY THE FRANKLIN-ORLEANS BRIDGE ASSOCIATION IN APPRECIATION OF THE SERVICE OF THOSE OFFICIALS AND CITIZENS WHO COOPERATION BROUGHT ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS BRIDGE. JAMES H. CHANNON, PRES. EDWARD MOHR, VICE PRES. JOSEPH E. FLANAGAN GEORGE R. DUNCAN HAMPDEN WINSTON, TREAS. JAMES F. BURNS, COUNCEL |
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View Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) Overview of Chicago Bascule Bridges (HAER Data Pages, PDF)
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