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UP Deerpath Road Bridge (Lake Forest)

Through Plate Girder Bridge over Deerpath Road
Lake Forest, Lake County, Illinois

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name UP Deerpath Road Bridge (Lake Forest)
Built By Chicago & North Western Railway
Contractor (Superstructure) Unknown
Contractor (Substructure) Bates & Rogers Construction Company of Chicago
Currently Owned By Union Pacific Railroad
Length 51 Feet Total
Width 2 Tracks
Height Above Ground 14 Feet 1 Inch
Superstructure Type Through Plate Girder
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built 1936
Traffic Count 20 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
UP Bridge Number 29.03
C&NW Bridge Number 262 1/2
Significance Minimal Significance
Documentation Date July 2018


Located in the village of Lake Forest, this through girder bridge is the western of two bridges at the intersection of Deerpath Road and US-41 (Skokie Highway).
Built in 1936 as a grade separation for a major transportation corridor, the bridge features a single through girder span with a concrete fascia. Unlike the parallel bridge which features an actual rigid frame, this bridge only mimics one.
In addition, the bridge consists of a ballasted deck and concrete substructures.
This type of design is common for grade separations in the 1930s. Many were constructed as part of major New Deal Era projects, especially along new highways.
Little changes have been made to this bridge since construction. Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, with only minor substructure deterioration noted.

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

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date 1992 National Bridge Inventory
Contractors Railway Age Volume 101
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele