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DM&E Old IL-26 Bridge

Steel Deck Girder Bridge over Former Illinois Highway 26
Forreston, Ogle County, Illinois

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name DM&E Old IL-26 Bridge
Built By Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railway
Contractor Unknown
Currently Owned By Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad
Length 37 Feet Total
Width 2 Tracks, 1 In Use
Height Above Ground 10 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Steel Deck Girder
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built Ca. 1935
Traffic Count 6 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
MILW Bridge Number Z-400 1/2
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date April 2019


Located west of Forreston, this small girder bridge crosses an old alignment of Illinois Highway 26.
Built in approximately 1935, the bridge features a single steel girder span, set onto concrete substructures. The bridge also contains a considerable amount of decorative features.
While an exact build date is unknown, the author estimates the build date based on an identical bridge in Minnesota.
In the late 1980s, IDOT made a push to upgrade this route between Freeport and Sterling. It is unknown exactly when this occured, but the route was rerouted on a more gentle curve. Currently, this bridge crosses an open area.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition. Some deterioration of the girders has been noted, primarely due to truck strikes.

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 Estimated
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele