Taylor Street Bridge, bridge in Chicago, Illinois, U.S
The Taylor Street Bridge is a bascule bridge that once crossed the South Branch of the Chicago River in Illinois. It featured a Scherzer rolling lift design that could raise vertically to allow boat traffic to pass underneath.
The original bridge arrived in 1890 from Adams Street and served for years but deteriorated quickly and hindered shipping. It closed in 1899 and was replaced by a modern Scherzer lift bridge that opened in 1901 and operated until 1928, when the straightened river made the location obsolete.
The site is no longer accessible today as the bridge was dismantled around 1929 and river changes have reshaped the area. Visitors interested in engineering history can explore remnants and historical archive photos in local museums.
The bridge used an innovative Scherzer rolling lift mechanism that moved on tracks and operated more smoothly than older swing bridges. This system made the Taylor Street Bridge one of the world's most advanced movable bridges of its era.
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