Abandoned Fox River Bridge (Aurora)

Located north of North Avenue, this deck plate girder bridge carries the original Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad mainline over the Fox River. The first bridge at this location was likely a wooden truss bridge, which was renewed by another wooden truss bridge in 1862. In 1883, the bridge would be reconstructed with three 145-foot, 6-panel, pin-connected Pratt through truss spans, set onto stone substructures. This bridge was constructed for two tracks, and utilized two single track structures sharing substructures. These truss spans utilized a lattice arch portal, typical for CB&Q bridges from the 1880s. It is unknown if the trusses were constructed by contract, or if the spans were fabricated at the railroad shops. During the 1880s, the CB&Q was known to have fabricated bridge spans at both the West Burlington and Aurora shops. By the late 19th Century, the old truss bridge had become too light for traffic, and would be replaced by the current bridge in 1901. The old truss spans were likely reused on branch lines or as overpasses.

Currently, the bridge consists of six 76-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto stone and concrete substructures. Piers and abutments from the 1883 bridge were reused and capped with concrete, while new intermediate piers were constructed in 1901. The bridge was initially built to carry two tracks, and utilizes standard deck plate girder spans. The superstructure was fabricated by an unknown firm, and it is unknown if the concrete work was done by contract as well. Deck plate girder spans were among the most popular bridge design for railroads, as spans were durable and easy to construct. In 1915, the CB&Q began construction on a new alignment and track elevation project through Aurora. New concrete arch bridges would be constructed on the east and west sides of Hurds Island, located immediately downstream from this bridge. After completion of the new line in 1920, the original line was downgraded to industrial trackage. The southernmost track was removed from the bridge prior to 1938, and the spans were likely reused elsewhere on the CB&Q system. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. It is hoped that the bridge can be reused as pedestrian bridge, ideally part of a larger riverfront revitalization project. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.