UP Addison-Lincoln Bridge

North Center, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

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Joint between main span and span #3, east track

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Name	UP Addison-Lincoln Bridge Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #1303 1/2
Built By	Chicago & North Western Railway
Currently Owned By	Union Pacific Railroad
Superstructure Contractor	Unknown
Substructure Contractor	Unknown
Length	234 Feet Total, 129 Foot Main Span (West Track) 169 Feet Total, 129 Foot Main Span (East Track)
Width	3 Tracks, 2 In Use
Superstructure Design	Through Plate Girder
Substructure Design	Concrete and Steel Bent
Date Built	1959
Traffic Count	75 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status	In Use
Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number	1303 1/2
Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number	4.90
Significance	Local Significance
Documentation Date	7/7/2018; 7/8/2018

In the early 1850s, several railroad companies began constructing railroad lines radiating from Chicago. In 1855, the Chicago & Milwaukee Railroad (C&M) constructed a 45-mile railroad line, extending north from an existing railroad line at Ashland Avenue and Armitage Avenue in Chicago to the Wisconsin State Line near Kenosha. At the same time, the Milwaukee & Chicago Railroad (M&C) constructed an additional 40 miles north to Milwaukee. The two railroads would be consolidated into a new railroad known as the Chicago & Milwaukee Railroad (C&M) soon after completion, and would come under control of the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) in 1866. The C&M was leased to the Chicago, Milwaukee and North Western Railway (CM&NW) in 1883. The C&NW acquired control of the CM&NW soon after. The C&NW had constructed and acquired a large network of railroad lines through the Midwest. This line formed a portion of the principal north mainline of the C&NW, eventually extending to northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Due to increasing traffic along this line, a second track would be constructed between 1890 and 1892.

In the late 19th Century, railroad traffic had become a significant safety hazard for the City of Chicago. A solution was devised to elevate the railroad tracks throughout the city, placing the railroads upon embankments and constructing subways at each street. In 1898, the C&NW completed track elevation and a third track from Ashland Avenue to Balmoral Avenue; followed by Balmoral Avenue into Evanston between 1907 and 1910. The C&NW would become a prominent railroad in the Midwest, eventually building a system over 11,000 miles long. Throughout the 20th Century, this line would continue to be an integral part of the C&NW system. The second track would be removed north of Kenosha after 1959. In 1995, the C&NW would be purchased by the Union Pacific Railroad. Union Pacific continues to operate the route as the Kenosha Subdivision. Metra operates a commuter service, the Union Pacific-North Line over the Chicago to Kenosha section.

This through plate girder bridge carries the Union Pacific North line over the intersection of Addison Street and Lincoln Avenue in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago. The previous bridge here was a through plate girder bridge, built during the track elevation project in 1897. By the mid-20th Century, the bridge had become inadequate for the needs of the intersection, and the City of Chicago decided to replace the structure with the current bridge. The current structure consists of an unusual through plate girder span, set onto concrete abutments and steel bent piers. Because of the unusual configuration of the intersection, a flared bridge was required. The south abutment is square, while the north abutment runs parallel to Lincoln Avenue. The western track of the bridge is 234 feet long, and uses spans of 15 feet, 60 feet, 15 feet, 129 feet and 15 feet. These spans are set onto an additional steel bent, which is formed into a triangular shape. The eastern track of the bridge utilizes a 129-foot main span with 20-foot spans on either side.

Because of the unusual configuration of the bridge, the structure has a number of unique features. While the two faces of the bridge are different lengths, the floor is continuous throughout. The floor is constructed of parallel floorbeams, which are set onto the two outer girders and one stringer in the middle of the bridge. In addition, the floor of the girders utilizes a sheet metal deck, which provides a ballast channel. The ends of the girders utilize a rounded taper, typical of C&NW structures. The spans are affixed to the bents by the use of a pinned connection, another unusual detail of the structure. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The bridge is scheduled to be rehabilitated beginning in late 2024 as part of the Metra project to upgrade Union Pacific North bridges between Addison Street and Diversey Parkway. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the newer age.

Citations

Build date	Dedication plaque
Railroad History Citation	ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele