UP Chicago Road Bridge

Name	UP Chicago Road Bridge Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Bridge #295
Built By	Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad
Currently Owned By	Union Pacific Railroad/CSX Corporation
Superstructure Contractor	Unknown
Substructure Contractor	Unknown
Length	48 Feet Total
Width	2 Tracks
Height Above Ground	13 Feet 6 Inches
Superstructure Design	Through Plate Girder
Substructure Design	Concrete
Date Built	c. 1915
Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Bridge Number	295
Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number	29.50
Significance	Local Significance
Documentation Date	12/3/2022

In 1872, the Chicago, Danville and Vincennes Railroad constructed 107 miles of new railroad, extending from the Chicago suburb of Dolton, Illinois to Danville, Illinois. The railroad line roughtly paralleled the Illinois/Indiana border. The CD&V would be consolidated into the Chicago and Nashville Railroad in 1877, which would be consolidated into the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad (CE&I) the same year. The CE&I provided a connection to industries and coal in southern Illinois and Indiana, and became a strong connecting railroad. By 1888, traffic had reached levels which required a second track to be constructed. The entire route between Dolton and Woodland Junction would be double tracked by 1895. In 1902, the St. Louis-San Fracisco Railway (Frisco) purchased a controlling stake in the CE&I, and funded the Eastern Illinois and St. Louis Railroad Company (EI&StL). The EI&StL constructed an 82-mile cutoff between Woodland Junction and another CE&I line at Villa Grove, Illinois, which would be completed in 1904. By 1913, the Frisco faced financial trouble, and the CE&I was again independent. The CE&I entered bankruptcy in 1933, exiting bankruptcy in 1940.

In 1961, the Missouri Pacific Railroad (MP) began purchasing stock in the railroad, before merging with the CE&I in 1967. As a stipulation of the merger, the Woodland Junction to Evansville line would be sold to the Louisville & Nashville Railroad (L&N). The MP and L&N began joint operations on the double tracked segment between Dolton and Woodland Junction. The MP was merged into the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) in 1982. The L&N was absorbed by the Seaboard Coast Line the same year, becoming part of the Seaboard System Railroad. The Seaboard merged with the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad/Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to form CSX Transportation in 1986. Today, CSX and UP jointly operate the line between Dolton and Woodland Junction. UP operates the line between Woodland Junction and Villa Grove, while CSX operates the line between Woodland Junction and Danville. The line is known to UP as the Villa Grove Subdivision, and to CSX as the Woodland Subdivision.

Located between Crete and Steger, this through plate girder bridge carries the former Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad over Illinois Route 1 (Chicago Road). Little is known about the history of this bridge. Built in approximately 1915, the bridge consists of a double track 48-foot through plate girder span, set onto concrete abutments. Due to the geometry of the crossing, the bridge is set at a heavy skew. The superstructure uses a standard design, including a traditionally constructed floor and round girder ends. The abutments also use a standard design, with wing walls angled nearly perpendicular to the structure. An unknown contractor fabricated the superstructure, and an unknown contractor constructed the abutments of the bridge. This type of bridge was popular for railroad use, as it was durable and easy to construct. Since the initial construction, the bridge has seen little alteration. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with some spalling noted on the substructure. The superstructure of the bridge appears to be well maintained. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.

UP Chicago Road Bridge

Crete, Will County, Illinois