Joliet, Illinois
View Exhibit mapThe landmark bridges of Joliet are its six bascule highway bridges over the Des Plaines River, all built in the 1930s. Four of them are magnificent Scherzer Rolling Lift bridges, and the other two are Chicago-style trunion bascule bridges. The river has heavy boat traffic, so they open frequently, and when you visit you are likely to get to watch (or be inconvenienced by) the bridges being raised. The rolling lift bridges are satisfyingly noisy when they operate, and their big cable supports give them almost a whimsical appearance. The elongated city park on the west bank of the river is a great place to watch the boat and bridge action.
The five moveable bridges in the Downtown area, all have nearly identical, distinctive art-deco railings. This railing design has been replicated on newer sections of the city's riverwalk.
Joliet has other interesting bridges too, such as the CSX Railroad lift bridge over the Des Plaines River, and the BNSF Railroad bridge over the I&M Canal, a Baltimore truss which is so severely skewed that it has interesting optical illusions from most viewing angles. It's also home to the badly deteriorated I-80 bridge, which carries 10,000 semi trucks daily, and is scheduled for replacement.
Abe Street Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1911Arch bridge over Spring Creek on Abe Street in JolietOpen to traffic
Benton Street Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1912; rehabilitated 1983Beam bridge over Spring Creek on Benton StreetOpen to pedestrians only
BNSF - 4th Avenue Overpass (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1910Through Girder bridge over 4th Ave (US6 WB) on BNSF RailwayOpen to traffic
BNSF - 5th Avenue Overpass (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1910Through Girder bridge over 5th Street (US6 EB) on BNSF RailwayOpen to traffic
BNSF - Columbia Street Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1907Through plate girder bridge over Columbia St (IL53 & old Rte 66 WB) on BNSF RailwayOpen to traffic
BNSF - I&M Canal Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1935Baltimore through truss bridge over I&M Canal on BNSF Railway in JolietOpen
BNSF - Scott Street Overpass (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1907Through Girder bridge over Scott Street on BNSF Railway in JolietOpen to traffic
BNSF - Side Canal Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1935Deck plate girder bridge over side channel of I&M Canal on BNSF RailwayOpen to traffic
BNSF - US52/IL53 Overpass (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1936Girder bridge over US52 / IL53/Chicago ST (Old Rte 66) on BNSF RROpen to traffic
BNSF/UP - Cass Street Overpass (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1911Steel Stringer bridge over E Cass St (US30 WB) on BNSF Railway and Union Pacific RailroadOpen to traffic
Brandon Road Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1972Steel stringer bridge over Des Plaines River on Brandon RoadOpen to traffic
Brandon Road Draw Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1932; rehabilitated 1949, 1990, 2021; reopened April 5, 2021Bascule bridge over Brandon Road Lock Channel of Des Plaines River on Brandon Road (CH 42)Reopened after long-term repairs
Cass Street Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1932; rehabilitated 1985Rolling-lift bascule bridge over Des Plaines River on Westbound US 30 Lincoln Highway in JolietOpen to traffic
Cass Street Bridge (Old) (Will County, Illinois)
Lost through truss bridge over Des Plaines River on Cass StreetReplaced by a new bridge
CN - Collins Street Overpass (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1918Girder bridge over Collins St (IL 171) on Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Ry (now CNRR)Open to traffic
CN - I&M Canal Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Pony/through girder bridge over I&M Canal on EJ&E RyOpen to traffic
CN/UP Overpass (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1913Pony/through plate girder bridge over UPRR (former ICRR) on Elgin, Joilet & Eastern RR (now CNRR)Open to traffic
CSX - Chicago Street Overpass (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1912Steel stringer bridge over IL53NB (Chicago St) on CSX RR(former Rock Island)Open to traffic
CSX - Joliet Lift Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1932 by the American Bridge CompanyThrough truss lift bridge over Des Plaines River on CSXOpen to rail traffic
CSX - Ottawa Street Overpass (Will County, Illinois)
Steel stringer bridge over Ottawa St (IL 53SB/Old Rte 66) on CSX RR (former Rock Island RR)Open to traffic
CSX - York Avenue Overpass (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1901Deck plate girder bridge over Michigan Street/York Avenue on CSX Railroad in JolietOpen to traffic
EJ&E/C&A Overpass (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1890; Replaced 1913Lost Pony/through plate girder bridge over Chicago & Alton Railroad on Elgin, Joliet & Eastern RailoadReplaced by a new bridge
Garnsey Avenue Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1911Arch bridge over Spring Creek on Garnsey Avenue in JolietOpen to traffic
Hillcrest Road Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Concrete rigid frame bridge over Old Plank Road Trail (frmr MCRR) on abandoned Hillcrest RoadOpen to pedestrians only
I-80 Des Plaines River Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1965; rehabilitated 1998Pair of through truss bridges over Des Plaines on I-80 in JolietOpen to traffic
IAIS/Metra - US30 Overpass (Will County, Illinois)
Pony/through plate girder bridge over US 30 (Lincoln Highway) on Chicago Rail Link/Metra (former Rock Island)Open to traffic
Jackson Street Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1926; rehabilitated 1984Steel stringer bridge over Spring Creek on Jackson St (US 6)Open to traffic
Jackson Street Bridge (1932) (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1932 by the Mississippi Valley Structural Steel Co.Bascule bridge over Des Plaines River on Jackson Street in JolietClosed for repairs and technology upgrades
Jackson Street Viaduct (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1951; Replaced 1991Lost Warren through truss bridge over Elgin Joliet & Eastern Railway East Joliet Yard Yard on US 6/Jackson StreetReplaced by a new bridge
Jefferson Street Bridge (1933) (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1932-33 by the Mississippi Valley Structural Steel Co.; rehabilitated 1941 and 2022Through truss bascule bridge over Des Plaines River on Eastbound US 30 in JolietOpen to one-way eastbound traffic
Landau Avenue Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1911Arch bridge over Spring Creek on Landau Avenue in JolietOpen to traffic
McDonough Street Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1933 by the Mississippi Valley Structural Steel Co.; rehabilitated 1987Bascule bridge over Des Plaines River on McDonough Street (US 6/52) in JolietOpen to traffic
McDonough Street Bridge (Old) (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1911;Lost Pratt through truss bridge over Des Plaines River on McDonough Street & CO&P RailroadReplaced by a new bridge
Ohio Street Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1912Arch bridge over Spring Creek on Ohio Street, .125 mi. north of Jackson StOpen to traffic
Old Richards Street- Hickory Creek (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1930 ; bypassed by bridge on new alignment 1967Bridge over Hickory Creek on (old) Richards StreetOpen to traffic with 15 ton limit
Patterson Road Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Replaced 2002Lost through truss bridge over a quarry on Patterson Road, 1.2 mi. north of Laraway RdNo longer exists
Ruby Street Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1935; rehabilitated 1972Bascule bridge over Des Plaines River on IL 53 (Old US 66) in JolietOpen to four-lane traffic
Sugar Run Creek Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Replaced 2001Lost arch bridge over Sugar Run Creek on Patterson Street in JolietNo longer exists
UP - 4th Avenue Overpass (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1910, Replaced 2015Girder bridge over 4th Ave (US6 WB) on Union Pacific RailroadReplaced by a new bridge
UP - 5th Avenue Overpass (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1910, Replaced 2015Lost Through Girder bridge over 5th Street (US6 EB) on Union Pacific RailroadReplaced by a new bridge
UP - US52 Overpass (Will County, Illinois)
Built 1937Girder bridge over US52 / IL53/Chicago ST (Old Rte 66) on UPRR (former ICG)Open to traffic
West Park Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Stone arch bridge over stream on Belleview Avenue
Zurich Road Bridge (Will County, Illinois)
Built ca. 1890 by the Chicago & Alton Railroad; replaced 1998Lost timber pony truss bridge over the UPRR on Zurich Road near JolietReplaced by modern bridge