John Lyle Harrington (December 7, 1868 – May 20, 1942) was an American civil engineer and a leading expert in the field of moveable bridge design.

[2] John L. Harrington was born on December 7, 1868, in Lawrence, Kansas to Robert Charles and Angeline Virginia (née Henry).

In 1899 he married Daisy June Orton of White Cloud, Kansas before continuing his education at McGill University, where he completed a second BS in 1906, and a Master of Science (MS) degree in 1908.

Working together, they would soon obtain several patents improving on Waddell's earlier designs of the state-of-the-art vertical-lift bridge.

They joined a new company called 'Harrington, Howard & Ash', and in 1928 the duo went on to found the long-running firm Harrington & Cortelyou.