BNSF Des Plaines River Bridge (Lyons)

Located south of 47th Street in Lyons, this deck plate girder bridge carries the former Santa Fe over the Des Plaines River. The first bridge at this location was likely a truss bridge, constructed when the line was built. In 1898, the bridge would be replaced by the current bridge. The bridge consists of six 52-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto concrete capped stone piers and abutments. It is currently unknown which company fabricated the girders or constructed the masonry for the bridge. The girder spans are standard "Class B" girder spans, which utilize a shallow design. The girder spans utilize a typical configuration of two parallel but independent structures, sharing a combined pier. The interior bracing of the girders uses a standard design, with an X-bracing inside, and full X-brace upper and lower bracings. In addition, the bridge utilizes a ballast deck, typical of Santa Fe spans. Railroad records indicate portions of the piers were reconstructed in 1934, and the original approaches were replaced in approximately 2000 by hollow concrete girder structures. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. The bridge is located immediately downstream from the former Chicago & Illinois Western bridge. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with minor deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.