IR Fox River Drive Bridge

Located northeast of Millbrook, this through plate girder bridge carries the former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad over Fox River Drive (County Road 1). Little is known about the history of this bridge. An underpass has existed at this location since the early 20th Century. The current structure was reportedly built in 1954, likely to replace a timber pile trestle. Currently, the bridge consists of a 47-foot through plate girder span, approached by a single timber stringer span on either side. The entire bridge is set onto timber pile substructures. The main span appears to have been originally fabricated in approximately 1900, and was likely reused from elsewhere. This span uses a solid floor, consisting of parallel I-beams which are covered by a metal deck. In addition, the span uses square girder ends, typical of early 20th Century CB&Q spans. An unknown contractor fabricated the main span, while railroad forces likely erected the span and constructed the timber components of the bridge. Solid floor spans such as this bridge became popular in the early 20th Century, particularly for use as grade separations. Through girder spans were popular for railroad use, as they were durable and easy to construct. Railroads often reused steel spans, as this provided a cost effective way to upgrade bridges without requiring large amounts of new material. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design and unknown history.