The Indiana Harbor Canal Bridge No. 631 carries the Whiting Branch of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway over the Indiana Harbor Canal in East Chicago, Indiana.
The Indiana Harbor Canal Bridge No. 631 carries the Whiting Branch of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway and the Calumet Spur of the Canadian National Railway, along with other rail lines, over the Indiana Harbor Canal in East Chicago, Indiana.
Construction of the Indiana Harbor Canal, also known as the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal, began in 1901 to connect the Grand Calumet River with Lake Michigan. 1 The project was intended to relieve shipping congestion and support the rapid industrial growth of the area, particularly steelmaking and petroleum refining. The proposed canal system included a 1.4-mile main canal, the 1.25-mile Lake George Branch, and the 2-mile Grand Calumet River Branch.
On March 26, the Inland Steel Company accepted an offer from the Lake Michigan Land Company that included 50 acres of free land and a promise to build a harbor and railroad. In return, Inland Steel agreed to construct a steel mill at the site costing no less than $1 million. Although the canal was initially promoted by private interests, the federal government assumed responsibility for improvements in 1910 and developed a 21-foot-deep harbor and channel.
The bridge over the canal, consisting of a Warren through truss connected to a single leaf bascule, was built in 1913 by the Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge Company.
It was rehabilitated in 1978 by the American Bridge Company.
Details
- State: Indiana
- Route: Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway
- Status: Active (Railroad)
- Type: Scherzer Rolling Lift Bascule, Warren Through Truss
- Main Span Length: 87'5"
Sources
- “Grand Calumet River and Indiana Harbor Ship Canal.” Indiana Department of Environmental Management.