Abandoned Wilson Avenue Bridge (Portage Park)

Portage Park, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

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Name	Abandoned Wilson Avenue Bridge (Portage Park) Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #521
Built By	Chicago & North Western Railway
Currently Owned By	Union Pacific Railroad
Superstructure Contractor	Unknown
Length	66 Feet Total, 19 Foot Main Spans
Width	3 Tracks
Height Above Ground	12 Feet 2 Inches
Superstructure Design	Concrete Encased Beam and Concrete Slab
Substructure Design	Concrete
Date Built	1928
Traffic Count	0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Abandoned)
Current Status	Abandoned
Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number	521
Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number	5.80
Significance	Local Significance
Documentation Date	7/7/2018

In the late 19th Century, Chicago grew to the prominent railroad hub in the central United States. Chicago also served as the dividing point between the railroads operating in the east and railroads operating in the Midwest. The Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) had constructed three principal railroad lines, radiating north, northwest and west from Chicago. In 1872, the C&NW constructed five miles of new railroad line along Kenton Avenue in Chicago, connecting the West Line (Galena Division) near present-day Pulaski Road to the Northwest Line (Wisconsin Division) at Mayfair. In 1889, the Junction Railway Company (JRC) was funded by the C&NW to construct a double track extension from Mayfair, north to the North Line (Milwaukee Division) at Canal (north Evanston). At the same time, the C&NW constructed a second track along the Kenton Avenue segment. In 1891, the JRC was merged into the C&NW.

This line primarily served as a freight bypass of downtown Chicago, connecting to the Belt Railway of Chicago at the south end of the line. In the late 19th Century, railroad traffic had become a significant safety hazard for the City of Chicago. A solution was devised to elevate the railroad tracks throughout the city, placing the railroads upon embankments and constructing subways at each street. In 1899, the C&NW completed a track elevation project at Milwaukee Avenue and Irving Park Road; followed by the section from Milwaukee Avenue to 40th Street (Pulaski Road) in 1906. Further improvements were made in 1928, when the line was elevated north of Mayfair.

The C&NW would become a prominent railroad in the Midwest, eventually building a system over 11,000 miles long. By the mid 20th Century, this route slowly had lost importance. Freight traffic would mainly use the Milwaukee Subdivision, another freight bypass located west of this route. Local traffic along the line gradually faded, and portions of the line would be abandoned. The C&NW abandoned the line from Oakton Street to Canal in 1985, followed by the section between River Junction and Oakton Street in 1988. In approximately 1990, the line south of Armitage Avenue would be abandoned, severing the connection to the Galena Division. In 1995, the C&NW would be purchased by the Union Pacific Railroad. The Union Pacific continues to operate the Mayfair to Armitage Avenue segment as the Cragin Industrial Lead. The remainder of the line is abandoned, but the grade and structures remain largely intact.

Located in the Irving Park neighborhood of Chicago, this steel stringer bridge carries an abandoned Union Pacific Railroad line over Wilson Avenue. In the late 19th Century, the numerous grade crossings throughout the city represented a hazard to the general public. In response, the City of Chicago passed numerous ordinances, requiring the elevation of freight railroads within city limits. By the 1910s, many of the major railroads within the city had been elevated. At street crossings, subways were constructed to carry railroads over the roadway. An ordinance was passed on December 29, 1913, requiring the elevation of the Chicago & North Western Railway Weber line between Mayfair and Foster Avenue. With the requirements, the city allowed for a lenient completion date of July 1st, 1927. Work did not begin until 1927, with the majority of the construction completed in 1928. The work was completed in conjunction with the adjacent Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway elevation project and the construction of a third track on this line. Typical of 20th Century track elevations, the line was constructed with concrete retaining walls, and was generally constructed for three tracks.

The bridge at Wilson Avenue uses a typical design for track elevation projects in Chicago, with two concrete encased beam spans, approached by a slab span on either end. The main spans of the bridge are 19 feet in length, while the approach spans of the bridge are 14 feet in length. The entire bridge is set onto concrete substructures, and the piers of the bridge utilize a typical design for the era, consisting of concrete columns connected by arches. This particular design was standard for most railroads throughout the United States, and provided a decorative aesthetic to bridges in urban areas. The main spans of the bridge use concrete encased beam spans, which were constructed offsite. These spans concentrate the loading in the internal steel beams, while the main function of the concrete is to protect the steel structure. The approach spans are constructed monlithically with the abutments, and this technique was first used on the elevation of the Northwest Line between Mayfair and Foster Avenue. The structure was originally constructed for three tracks. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to poor condition, with spalling and damage throughout the structure. The future is uncertain for this structure, and it has been abandoned since the early 2000s. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.

Citations

Build date	Elevation of line
Railroad History Citation	ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele