The Canadian Pacific petitioned the Coast Guard in 2003 to leave the bridge in a closed position, unmanned, because the last time there was a call to open the bridge was June 13, 1997. At the time of the petition, there were no active marine operations west of the bridge that would require opening it.
The Coast Guard does hold the right to call for the bridge to be operational with 12 months notice.
A bridge immediately to the west, that was part of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, has been removed.
Bridges - Rail, Bridges - Drawbridge and Rotating
Links: bridgehunter.com
By: CheesyCheetah