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| Name | DREI Park Drive Bridge Charles Becker Underpass |
| Built By | Baltimore & Ohio Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad |
| Contractor | Shesshley & Janney of Johnstown, Pennsylvania |
| Length | 43 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 10 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Concrete Encased Beam |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1929 |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 10/21/2023 |
In 1873, the Indianapolis and Illinois Central Railway Company (I&IC) constructed 85 miles of new railroad, extending from the Wabash River near Hillsdale, Indiana to Decatur, Illinois. In 1875, the company began construction an additional 68 miles to Indianapolis, Indiana. The I&IC would become part of the Indianapolis, Decatur and Springfield Railway (ID&S) in 1875, and the ID&S would complete the line. The ID&S became part of the Indianapolis, Decatur & Western Railway (ID&W) in 1887, which was reorganized into the Indiana, Decatur and Western Railway (ID&W) in 1895. In 1901, the Springfield & Decatur Railway (S&D) would construct an additional 26 miles from Boody, Indiana to Derry Farm, Indiana and the ID&W would construct 8 miles from Derry Farm to Springfield, Illinois. The railroad was reorganized into the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western Railway (CI&W) in 1902, and was again reorganized into the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western Railroad in 1915. The CI&W operated a sizable network throughout Indiana and Illinois.
In 1927, the CI&W would be acquired by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O). The B&O was a prominent railroad, operating lines throughout the eastern United States. This line provided the B&O with an additional connection into Illinois, serving Decatur and Springfield. Throughout the 20th Century, traffic along the route began to decline.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) took financial control of the
B&O in 1963. In 1973, the two railroads were merged into the
Chessie System, although they continued to operate separately. The portion of the line between Decatur and Springfield was abandoned in 1984. In 1987, the Chessie System was merged into CSX Transportation. This route was an excess line for CSX, which already operated parallel routes with more local traffic. In 1988, the line between Russellville and Bloomingdale would be abandoned, followed by segments between Indianapolis and Roachdale in 1989; Roachdale and Russellville in 1990; Bloomingdale to Montezuma in 1994 and Montezuma to Hillsdale in 2001. In 2018, CSX sold the Decatur to Hillsdale line to the Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad (DREI), the current operator of the remaining line.
Located along US Route 36 on the east side of Decatur, this concrete encased beam bridge carries the former Baltimore & Ohio Railroad over Lake Shore Drive. In the 1920s, the City of Decatur was working to improve the lakefront area along Lake Decatur. A number of projects were planned to build parks and parkways along both shores of the lake. In 1928, Decatur Township reached an agreement with the B&O to construct an underpass across a new parkway, located on the west shore of the lake. Work on the structure began in the fall of 1928, and the underpass was dedicated the following spring. The bridge consists of a 43-foot concrete encased beam span, set onto concrete substructures. The bridge uses a number of decorative features, such as paneling and grooves. Shesshley & Janney constructed the bridge, while a separate contractor completed construction of the road underneath. This contractor was used by the B&O to construct a number of underpasses, particularly in the eastern United States. The abutments of the bridge were constructed in November of 1928, and the superstructure was rolled into place later that month. It is reported that the superstructure weighed 300 tons. This type of bridge was popular for railroad use, as it was durable and easy to construct. In addition, these spans allowed for longer clear spans, and could be constructed offsite. Immediately after construction, the bridge was dedicated as the Charles Becker Underpass, named after the Decatur Township Highway Commissioner who planned the bridge and died suddenly during its construction. 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 author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date | Plaque |
| Builder | The Decatur Daily Review; November 24, 1928 |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |