Located north of US-6 in Rockdale, this deck girder bridge crosses the Illinois & Michigan Canal.
Built in 1911, the bridge consists of a pair of deck plate girder spans, set onto a center pivot pier. This center pivot pier allowed the bridge to operate as a swing bridge. The bridge sits on concrete substructures.
While much of the machinery is still present, the bridge cannot turn without rollers, which have since been removed from the bridge.
Swing spans like this are rather uncommon. Most locations requiring swing spans required a much larger span. It is unknown when this bridge last moved.
Currently, the bridge only serves a train or two per month, and is used sparingly. However, it is part of the I&M Canal National Heritage Area.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no major deterioration noted.
The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the swing design.
The photo above is an overview.