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KCS US-24 Bridge

Through Plate Girder Bridge over US Highway 24
Independence, Jackson County, Missouri

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name KCS US-24 Bridge
Built By Chicago & Alton Railroad
Contractor Unknown
Currently Owned By Kansas City Southern Railway
Length 80 Feet Total
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 14 Feet 0 Inches
Superstructure Type Through Plate Girder
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built 1935
Traffic Count 5 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
KCS Bridge Number 480.7
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date November 2019


Located just west of downtown Independence, this through girder bridge crosses US Highway 24 at Arlington Avenue.
Built in 1935, the bridge consists of a single through plate girder span, set onto concrete substructures. The girder span follows a standard design.
This style bridge was commonly used for grade separations, due to the ease of construction. Typically, a bypass would be built around the site as the bridge was constructed.
As trains became more frequent and faster, medium and large cities oftentimes advocated for railroads to construct grade separations at major streets. It appears this segment of US-24 was rebuilt around 1935 as a parkway into Independence.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, with no significant deterioration noted.

The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date 1979 ICG Track Profile
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele