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| Name | SKOL Park Boulevard Bridge Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #164D |
| Built By | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway |
| Currently Owned By | South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 65 Feet Total, 24 Foot Main Spans |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 12 Feet 6 Inches |
| Superstructure Design | Concrete Slab |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1918 |
| Traffic Count | 3 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Number | 164D |
| South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad Bridge Number | 164.93 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 10/28/2017 |
In 1871, the Southern Kansas Railroad (SK) would construct a new railroad, extending 10 miles from Cherryvale, Kansas to Independence, Kansas. In 1879, the Southern Kansas and Western Railroad Company (SK&W) began constructing an additional 138 miles from Independence to Harper, Kansas. This route would be completed in 1880. Both railroads were consolidated into the Kansas City, Lawrence and Southern Kansas Railroad in 1879, which would be consolidated into the Southern Kansas Railway in 1883. In 1885, the Chicago, Kansas & Western Railroad would construct an additional 43 mile connection, between Chanute, Kansas and Longton, Kansas. The Southern Kansas Railway would be leased by the Atchison, Topeka
& Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) in 1899, and entirely consumed by the ATSF
in 1901. The ATSF had acquired and constructed a large number
of railroad lines throughout the western United States, particularly in
Kansas and Oklahoma. This line was utilized as a secondary mainline, connecting a number of ATSF mainlines in Southern Kansas. The line between Longton and Independence would be abandoned in 1968. The Chanute to Wellington segment would be sold to the South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL) in 1990. In 2000, the Chanute to Fredonia segment would be abandoned, and purchased for future trail use. In approximately 2002, the segment between Oxford, Kansas and Wellington was abandoned. The remainder of the line continues to be operated by SKOL, serving mainly agricultural traffic. As of 2024, work is underway to convert the 19-mile Chanute to Fredonia segment to the Osage Cuestas Trail.
Located in Independence, this concrete slab bridge carries the former Santa Fe across Park Boulevard. Constructed in 1918, the bridge features four concrete slab spans, set onto concrete substructures. The main spans are 24 feet long, and the approaches 8 feet long. The spans utilize a cast in place deck system to form a ballast deck, with the structural portion of the slab only being directly under the track. The piers of the bridge utilize a design typically seen on grade separations of this era, providing some decorative aesthetic to the bridge. This design of bridge was commonly used for grade separations throughout the United States, as it was durable, cheap and easy to construct. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with some cosmetic damage noted, particularly to span #2. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Records; Part of Railroad & Heritage Museum Fred M. and Dale M. Springer Archive; Temple, Texas |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |