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| Name | CN Oak Park Avenue Bridge Illinois Central Railroad Bridge #W-11.2 |
| Built By | Illinois Central Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Canadian National Railway |
| Contractor | Unknown (Main Spans) Unknown (Culvert Approaches) |
| Length | 62 Feet Total, 23 Foot Main Spans |
| Width | 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 11 Feet 3 Inches |
| Superstructure Design | Concrete Slab and Concrete Box Culvert |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1912 (Main Spans) 1936 (Culvert Approaches) |
| Traffic Count | 10 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Illinois Central Railroad Bridge Number | W-11.2 |
| Canadian National Railway Bridge Number | 11.2 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 11/18/2023 |
In 1851, the State of Illinois authorized the construction of a series
of railroad lines, extending from Cairo, Illinois; located on the Ohio
River, to the Mississippi River at East Dubuque, Illinois and to
Chicago, Illinois. The State awarded the Illinois Central Railroad (IC) with the land necessary
to construct the new lines. Surveys began in 1851, and the first
segments were completed by 1853. The northwestern section connected Freeport, Illinois to East Dubuque, Illinois. Construction was completed on this segment in 1855, and the line would later be extended across Iowa with a bridge over the Mississippi River to Dubuque in 1868. In 1890, the Chicago, Madison & Northern Railroad (CM&N), a subsidiary of the IC, constructed 102 miles of new railroad between Chicago and Freeport, Illinois; linking Chicago with the IC lines in northern Illinois. This served as an important connection for the IC, improving access to Chicago for the railroad. Due to heavy use, the section from Chicago to Broadview would be double tracked by 1895. The CM&N would be operated under lease by the IC until 1903, when it was consolidated into the IC. In the 20th Century, the IC was a respected railroad, operating an extensive railroad network through the central United States. This line served as a mainline for the IC, connecting lines in Iowa to Chicago. In 1972, the IC merged with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad
(GM&O) to form the Illinois Central Gulf (ICG). This line, as well as the entire IC system in Iowa, was sold to the Chicago Central & Pacific Railroad (CC&P) in 1995. In 1988, the ICG
was reorganized as the Illinois Central Railroad (IC). In 1995, the CC&P was repurchased by IC and in 1998, IC was
purchased by the Canadian National Railway (CN). Today, CN operates the Freeport Subdivision between Broadview and Freeport, and the portion between Freeport and Dubuque is part of the Dubuque Subdivision.
Located in Berwyn, this concrete slab bridge carries the former Illinois Central over Oak Park Avenue. Built in 1912, the bridge initially consisted of two 23-foot concrete slab spans, set onto concrete substructures. In 1936, the bridge was widened for sidewalks by adding an 8-foot by 9-foot concrete box culvert on either end of the structure. When the bridge was expanded, the box culverts were simply added behind the abutment and wing walls of the original structure. The center pier of the bridge utilizes a traditional design for the era, and the box culverts have been painted in decorative colors. In addition, the bridge runs at a slight skew. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. The use of concrete box culverts to extend a bridge is a unique feature, as steel pipe culverts were generally used for adding sidewalks to existing underpasses. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to poor condition, with significant spalling throughout the structure. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date | Illinois Central Railroad Chicago Terminal Division 1942 Track Profile |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |