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Abandoned Wood River Bridge (South)

Abandoned Pratt Through Truss Bridge over Wood River
East Alton, Madison County, Illinois

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name Abandoned Wood River Bridge (South)
Built By Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway
Contractor Unknown
Currently Owned By Unknown Private Owner
Length 178 Feet Total, 125 Foot Main Span
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Pratt Through Truss and Through Girder
Substructure Type Stone Masonry and Concrete
Date Built 1902
Traffic Count 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Abandoned)
Current Status Abandoned
Significance Moderate Significance
Documentation Date June 2016


This unique little gem sits alongside IL-3 in East Alton. Long abandoned, it currently carries a pipeline.
This bridge was built in 1902 to replace a Big Four bridge that was destroyed by flooding. It contains a simple design, with a Pratt Through Truss approached by a Through Girder span.
The main span is a typical Pratt Through truss. It contains 6 panels, with pinned connections. It is a very lightweight bridge for the type of traffic it was seeing.
The substructures were built of stone and concrete. The pier is built of concrete, while the west abutment is built of stone.
The bridge is in remarkably good condition for the time it has been abandoned. It is likely being maintained by a private organization, likely the owner of the pipeline.

This bridge has been rated by the author as being moderately significant, because it is a good late example of a pin connected Pratt Through Truss. In addition, it contains a high amount of historic integrity.
The photo above is an overview. The author is researching further to confirm the build date.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Flooding of previous bridge
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele