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| Name | Skokie Valley Bike Path - Deerpath Road Bridge |
| Built By | Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Commonweath Edison |
| Superstructure Contractor | Bates & Rogers Construction Company of Chicago, Illinois |
| Length | 50 Feet Total |
| Width | 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 14 Feet 1 Inches |
| Superstructure Design | Concrete Rigid Frame |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1937 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge has been Replaced) |
| Current Status | Replaced by a new bridge |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 7/8/2018 |
During the early 20th Century, the area immediately north of Chicago saw unprecedented growth. Existing passenger rail service along the existing line Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee Railroad (CNS&M) line became crowded. In 1924, the CNS&M began purchasing land for a new line between Howard Street and North Chicago, set several miles from the lake shore. This new route was expected to shorten travel times by 20 minutes, and provide a bypass of the congested shore line route. The first portion to Niles Center opened in 1925, and was jointly constructed by the CNS&M and the Northwestern Elevated Railroad. In 1926, the remainder of the route opened for service, featuring a double track electrified railroad in a private right-of-way. Throughout the 1930s, the railroad financed significant grade separation projects, particularly along US-41. However, the railroad ceased operations in 1963. By 1965, large portions of the track has been removed north of Lake-Cook Road. Between Lake-Cook Road and Dempster Street in Skokie, the railroad was sold to the Chicago & North Western, which became part of Union Pacific Railroad in 1995. The southern section between Skokie and Howard Street became part of the Skokie Swift, a pilot project for mass transit. The railroad featured five miles of length traveled in 6.5 minutes. Since, the route has been re-branded as the CTA Yellow Line. UP abandoned the segment in 2005. From Oakton Street in Skokie to Rockland Road near Waukegan, the grade is used by the Skokie Valley Trail. A gap in the trail currently exists between Skokie and Northfield.
Located in Lake Forest, this through plate girder bridge carried the former Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee Railroad over Deerpath Road. In the 1930s, the Illinois Department of Public Works worked to improve roadways throughout the state. One such project was the construction of a grade separation in Lake Forest, with new bridges carrying the busy railroad lines over US Route 41 and Deerpath Road. Work on the project was let in 1936, with Bates & Rogers Construction Company reviving the contract for the structure. This bridge, and the parallel Chicago & North Western Railway bridge were constructed in 1937. The bridge consisted of a 50-foot concrete rigid frame bridge, set onto concrete substructures. Frame bridges like this became popular in the 1930s, as they required less material than a slab span. Typical of structures from this era, the bridge utilized a number of decorative features, including decorative abutments and numerous imprints. This type of bridge was popular for grade separations, as it was durable, economical and easy to construct. After abandonment of the CNS&M, the bridge was reused as a trail bridge and access road for Commonwealth Edison. The bridge was replaced by a new bridge in 2022. The new bridge reused the concrete abutments, which were repaired. At the time of removal, the bridge was in fair to poor condition, with spalling noted throughout the bridge. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | Railway Age; Volume 101, Issue 5 |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |