NS West Main Street Bridge (Decatur)

Located in Decatur, this through plate girder bridge carries the former Wabash Railroad over West Main Street near the identical Oakland Avenue Bridge. Prior to the construction of this bridge, a grade crossing existed at this location. By the early 1930s, railroad and automobile had increased, and the crossing was considered a hazard. As a result, the City of Decatur worked with the Wabash to plan and construct a grade separation at this location. In addition, Federal Aid proved vital in advancing this project, and plans were prepared throughout 1936. By the end of 1936, the work had been let and agreements reached with the Wabash. As part of the work, the railroad would realigned approximately 90 feet to the west to avoid crossing both streets with one structure. Two separate structures were designed to minimize bridge costs, and an embankment would connect the two structures. Work started that winter, and the structures and lowered streets were completed by November 1937. Local contractor Cope & Fisher completed the concrete work and erected the superstructure. The superstructure was fabricated by the Mississippi Valley Structural Steel Company, and shipped to the jobsite using rollers and a tow cable. It is believed that each section of the bridge was fully fabricated before being shipped.

The bridge consists of a 53-foot through plate girder span, approached by a 17-foot span on either end. The entire bridge is set onto concrete substructures, constructed for two tracks, and is set on a curve. As a result, the superstructure is configured with a significant skew. The girders use a decorative design, without using stiffeners on the outsides of the girders. The floor system is comprised of I-beams placed between the girders, and covered by a sheet metal deck. Each track uses two girders, including a heavier constructed outside girder and a shallower inside girder. The substructures of the bridge use a decorative design, with the piers constructed of concrete columns connected by an upper beam. The piers and abutments all have decorative stamping, contributing to the attractiveness of the structure. This type of bridge was popular for grade separations, particularly before World War II. These spans were durable, easy to construct and visually appealing. Since the initial construction, the bridge has seen few changes. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The bridge has an intact coat of paint, and appears to be well maintained. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.