UP Laurel Avenue Bridge (Highland Park)

Highland Park, Lake County, Illinois

Default pic
Looking north
Overview
South abutment
South span (span #1)
Span #2
Center pier
Span #3
North pier
North abutment
South pier
Corrosion of stringers
Under bridge
Under sidewalk
Looking north
Looking north

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Default Pic
Looking north
Overview
South abutment
South span (span #1)
Span #2
Center pier
Span #3
North pier
North abutment
South pier
Corrosion of stringers
Under bridge
Under sidewalk
Looking north
Looking north
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Date Taken:
Author:
Caption:
Name UP Laurel Avenue Bridge (Highland Park)
Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #1349
Built By Chicago & North Western Railway
Currently Owned By Union Pacific Railroad
Superstructure Contractor American Bridge Company of New York
Substructure Contractor Unknown
Length 84 Feet Total, 28 Foot Main Spans
Width 2 Tracks (56 Feet)
Height Above Ground 10 Feet 6 Inches
Superstructure Design Trough Floor Steel Stringer
Substructure Design Concrete and Steel Bent
Date Built 1912
Traffic Count 75 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number 1349
Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number 23.09
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date 7/8/2018

In the early 1850s, several railroad companies began constructing railroad lines radiating from Chicago.  In 1855, the Chicago & Milwaukee Railroad (C&M) constructed a 45-mile railroad line, extending north from an existing railroad line at Ashland Avenue and Armitage Avenue in Chicago to the Wisconsin State Line near Kenosha.  At the same time, the Milwaukee & Chicago Railroad (M&C) constructed an additional 40 miles north to Milwaukee.  The two railroads would be consolidated into a new railroad known as the Chicago & Milwaukee Railroad (C&M) soon after completion, and would come under control of the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) in 1866.  The C&M was leased to the Chicago, Milwaukee and North Western Railway (CM&NW) in 1883.  The C&NW acquired control of the CM&NW soon after.   The C&NW had constructed and acquired a large network of railroad lines through the Midwest.  This line formed a portion of the principal north mainline of the C&NW, eventually extending to northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  Due to increasing traffic along this line, a second track would be constructed between 1890 and 1892.

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 1898, the C&NW completed track elevation and a third track from Ashland Avenue to Balmoral Avenue; followed by Balmoral Avenue into Evanston between 1907 and 1910.  The C&NW would become a prominent railroad in the Midwest, eventually building a system over 11,000 miles long.  Throughout the 20th Century, this line would continue to be an integral part of the C&NW system.  The second track would be removed north of Kenosha after 1959.  In 1995, the C&NW would be purchased by the Union Pacific Railroad.  Union Pacific continues to operate the route as the Kenosha Subdivision.  Metra operates a commuter service, the Union Pacific-North Line over the Chicago to Kenosha section.

Located in Highland Park, this trough floor steel stringer bridge carries the Union Pacific North line over Laurel Avenue. Built in 1912 as part of improvements in the area, the bridge consists of two 28-foot and two 14-foot trough floor steel stringer spans, set onto steel bents and concrete abutments. This type of bridge utilizes numerous parallel steel stringers and a sheet metal deck, which are constructed as one unit. The bridge carries two tracks, and has sidewalks on each side, which are set onto a lattice girder. The superstructure of the bridge was fabricated by American Bridge Company, and it is believed that the substructures were constructed by an unknown contractor. This design of bridge was commonly used for track elevation projects, as it provided a durable and cost effective design. In addition, ballast decks were preferred by railroads and municipalities, as they provided a safer design for roadway users and the maintenance was more cost effective than an open deck design. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with some minor deterioration noted throughout the structure. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.

Citations

Builder and build date Chicago & North Western Valuation Notes at the Chicago & North Western Historical Society Archives
Railroad History Citation ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele