BNSF Batavia Creek Culvert

Located south of Batavia, this concrete encased stone arch carries the former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad over Batavia Creek. During the construction of the line between West Chicago and Aurora, a number of stone culverts were constructed. A nearby arch was reportedly constructed in 1849, likely indicating this structure is a similar age. Built in approximately 1850, the structure consists of a 10-foot stone arch culvert, set onto stone substructures. The culvert does not utilize wing walls. In approximately 1950, the culvert would be encased with concrete, likely due to deteriorating stone. During this encasement, a thick layer of concrete was added throughout the structure. The west face appears to have been rebuilt in approximately 1990, likely in conjunction with the construction of the current Illinois Route 25 bridge. Like other CB&Q structures, the arch appears to use a semicircular shape. Stone arch spans became popular with railroads throughout the United States, as they were durable and easy to construct. Encasing stone arches was often done by railroads, as it provided a cost effective way to maintain and repair deteriorating stone bridges. 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 heavy alterations to the structure.