Lifting Bridge on Courtland Street

The lifting bridge on Courtland Street was the first in the United States to use a clawed structure. This solution was so successful from a technical point of view that more than 50 bridges of this type appeared.

The Cortland Street Bridge was opened in 1902. It consists of two spans, each of which is suspended on huge axes - zapfs. With the help of counterbalances, the wings of the bridge rose almost vertically, opening the space for steamers plying along the river. Engineers John Erickson and Edward Wilman designed the bridge so well that it could be opened in just one minute in calm weather and three minutes in strong winds.

The total length of the bridge is about 39 meters. Today, its draw mechanism is not used, and large steel structures on both sides have turned into decorative elements.

The bridge is used for two-way traffic of vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists. In 1991, the drawbridge on Courtland Street received the status of a historical landmark of Chicago.