UP Hazel Avenue Bridge (Glencoe)

Name	UP Hazel Avenue Bridge (Glencoe) Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #1335 1/2
Built By	Chicago & North Western Railway
Currently Owned By	Union Pacific Railroad
Contractor	Unknown
Length	45 Feet Total
Width	2 Tracks
Height Above Ground	12 Feet 0 Inches
Superstructure Design	Through Plate Girder
Substructure Design	Stone Masonry
Date Built	c. 1898
Traffic Count	75 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status	In Use
Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number	1335 1/2
Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number	18.99
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 Glencoe, this standard through plate girder bridge crosses Hazel Avenue alongside Green Bay Road. In 1898, Glencoe solicited bids for an underpass to be constructed at Hazel Avenue, and the bridge was likely constructed the same year or early the following year. The bridge consists of a single 45-foot through plate girder span, set onto stone abutments. The girder span was constructed for two tracks, and was fabricated by an unknown company. This particular girder was not a standard design for the C&NW, possibly because the bridge was contracted by the municipality. The bridge utilizes floorbeams consisting of two parallel steel beams, and rounded edges. C&NW through girders typically used a single beam for floorbeams, and contained tapered edges. This type of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it provided maximum clearance underneath, and was durable and easy to construct. At one time, the Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee Railroad operated a bridge immediately east of this structure, which has since been replaced by a grade crossing carrying a shared use path. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.

UP Hazel Avenue Bridge (Glencoe)

Glencoe, Cook County, Illinois