- 1854: 39 miles completed from Chicago to Cary, Illinois by the Illinois & Wisconsin Railroad
- 1855: I&W combined with Rock River Valley Union Railroad to form the Chicago, St. Paul and Fond du Lac Railroad
- 1855: 53 miles completed from Cary to Janesville, Wisconsin by the Chicago, St. Paul and Fond du Lac Railroad
- 1859: CStP&FdL sold to Chicago & North Western Railway
- 1882: Second track completed from Chicago to Mayfair (Montrose Avenue)
- 1884: Second track completed from Mayfair to Des Plaines
- 1886: 16 miles completed from Janesville to Evansville, Wisconsin by the Janesville and Evansville Railway
- 1887: J&E sold to the Chicago & North Western Railway
- 1893: Second track completed from Des Plaines to Barrington
- 1899: Second track completed from Barrington to west of Harvard, Illinois
- 1899: Second track completed from Shopiere to west of Janesville, Wisconsin
- 1899: Track elevation completed from Kostner Avenue to Sangamon Street in Chicago
- 1908: Second track completed at Rock River in Janesville, Wisconsin
- 1927: Track elevation completed from Kostner Avenue to Foster Avenue in Chicago
- 1995: Chicago & North Western purchased by Union Pacific Railroad
- 1984-Present: Metra operates the Union Pacific Northwest Line between Harvard and Chicago
- 1995-Present: Union Pacific operates the Harvard Subdivision from Chicago to Evansville, Wisconsin
10/25/22
Located in Janesville, this simple steel stringer bridge crosses Franklin Street.
Built in 1938, this bridge is a simple two span I-Beam set on a steel pier and stone abutments.
When built, the bridge replaced an earlier girder built in 1884, which had become too light for traffic.
This style bridge is standard for 1940s and later construction, and features no decorative features.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition. This bridge is scheduled to be rehabilitated in 2023.
The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design and newer age.
The photo above is an overview. The bridge can be accessed from the road it crosses.