Chicago Holds North American Record With 37 Movable Bridges
A city in Illinois is the record holder for a very unusual category, but don't worry if you didn't know about it, because very few people do.
The North American Record For Most Movable Bridges In One City Is Chicago
I remember several years ago, being in Chicago for a concert or something, and not surprisingly, I got caught in traffic. This wasn't your typical backup in the Windy City. The reason for the holdup was a bridge. It was up, so a large boat could go underneath it. That was a first for me. Apparently, there is a long history of drawbridges that I didn't know about. In fact, it's a special type of bridge design by engineers in Chicago for the city.
READ MORE: Why Do Some Beaches Along Lake Michigan In Chicago Have Concrete Instead Of Sand?
According to Hey Chicago...
Chicago engineers invented a brand new type of bridge in 1902. They called it the trunnion bascule bridge, which people now just call the Chicago Style bridge. These bridges are masterpieces of engineering. They work like giant, heavy seesaws.
Hidden inside the beautiful stone houses at the end of each bridge are massive concrete weights. Because the weights perfectly balance the heavy steel bridge, it takes surprisingly little electrical power to lift them.
Chicago has double water features. There is Lake Michigan and also the Chicago River. Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the city was booming. Many large cargo ships were coming in and out of the city on the river. The bridges were either too low to pass through, and the drawbridges were very slow to operate, which caused major backups on land and water.
Engineers in the city created a new kind of movable bridge just for the Windy City, and it was perfectly named a Chicago-style bridge. It worked so well there that now you can find them all over the world. Chicago does hold the record in North America for the most, which is 37. Next time you're in the city, pay attention to how many you see.
Counties with the most bridges in dire need of repair in Illinois
Gallery Credit: Stacker
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