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| Name | New Berlin Trail - Oak Leaf Trail Bridge |
| Built By | The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company |
| Currently Owned By | Wisconsin Electric Power Company |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 16 Feet Total |
| Width | 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 7 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Steel Stringer |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | c. 1930 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Open to Pedestrian Traffic) |
| Current Status | Open to Pedestrian Traffic |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 10/7/2023 |
In 1891, the Milwaukee and Wauwatosa Motor Railway constructed a steam dummy line from 35th Street and Wells Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Wauwautosa, Wisconsin. In 1895, an electric railway was constructed between Waukesha, Wisconsin and Waukesha Beach, Wisconsin by the Waukesha Beach Electric Railway. Both railroads were acquired by the Milwaukee Light, Heat and Traction Company (MLH&T) in 1898, which soon became part of The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company (TMER&L). TMER&L completed lines into downtown Milwaukee and a connection between Wauwautosa and Waukesha. In 1906, construction began on the line west of Waukesha Beach, with the railroad reaching Oconomowoc in 1907 and Watertown in 1908. Originally, the railroad planned to extend westwards to Madison, Wisconsin; however the line was never extended past Watertown. In 1938, TMER&L separated its electric power and its electric traction divisions, with the transportation division reorganized as the Milwaukee Electric Railway and Transport Company (MER&T). The line between Oconomowoc and Watertown was abandoned in early 1940; followed by the line between Waukesha and Oconomowoc in mid-1941. The remainder of the line was abandoned in mid-1951 after years of financial difficulties. Today, little remains of TMER&L line to Watertown, although portions have become part of trails between Watertown and Oconomowoc and between Waukesha and West Allis.
Located at Greenfield Park in West Allis, this steel stringer bridge carries the former The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company line over the Oak Leaf Trail. It is unknown if there was a previous bridge at this location. After the Greenfield Park Golf Course opened in 1923, a permanent bridge was required at this location. In approximately 1930, a steel stringer span was installed, giving the bridge its present configuration. Currently, the bridge consists of a double track 16-foot steel stringer span, set onto concrete substructures. The superstructure uses a standard design, with two beams per track which are connected by plates. The substructure also follows a standard design, with a square design and sloped wing walls. An unknown contractor fabricated the superstructure, while the concrete abutments were likely constructed by an additional unknown contractor. Steel stringer spans were popular for railroad use, as they were durable and easy to construct. Unlike spans constructed for steam railroads, spans constructed for electric railroads could be lighter since they did not carry as much weight. Since the initial construction, the bridge has seen only minor repairs. Currently, the bridge is used by the New Berlin Trail, and a wooden deck and railings have been added to the structure. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design and unknown history.
Citations
| Railroad History Citation | Dons Depot |