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BNSF Columbia Street Bridge (Joliet)

Through Plate Girder Bridge over Columbia Street
Joliet, Will County, Illinois

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name BNSF Columbia Street Bridge (Joliet)
Built By Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
Contractor American Bridge Company of New York
Currently Owned By BNSF Railway
Length 78 Feet Total, 47 Foot Main Span
Width 2 Tracks
Height Above Ground 15 Feet 2 Inches
Superstructure Type Through Plate Girder
Substructure Type Steel Tower and Concrete
Date Built 1908
Traffic Count 100 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date July 2018


Located in the city of Joliet, this girder bridge crosses Columbia Street between Scott and Chicago Streets.
Built in 1908, the bridge features three spans of through plate girder, set onto concrete and steel substructures. The bridge also has a ballasted deck.
Structures like these were common for grade separations, as they were easy to construct and were durable.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition. It appears to be mostly free of significant deterioration.

The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 1937 Bridge Records
Contractor American Bridge Company plaques
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele