Jane Addams Trail - Pecatonica River Bridge

Located northwest of Freeport, this historic Pratt through truss bridge carries the former Illinois Central Railroad over the Pecatonica River. In the late 1880s, the Illinois Central Railroad chartered a number of subsidiaries to construct branch and connecting lines throughout the Midwest. To construct these lines, the IC funded the construction and ordered the material for the subsidiary companies. Constructed in 1887, this bridge is the original structure at this location. The bridge consists of a 175-foot, 9-panel, pin-connected Pratt through truss span, set onto stone abutments. Union Bridge Company fabricated the superstructure at their Buffalo, New York plant, and Ryan & McDonald is believed to have constructed the stone abutments. Typical of Union Bridge Company spans, the bridge utilizes built-up vertical members, a traditionally constructed floor and a decorative portal bracing. This portal bracing consists of a crested lattice arch design, with lattice heel bracings. The Pratt truss design was the most popular railroad truss bridge design in the late 19th Century, as it was economical, durable and simple. However, the main limitation of this design was the length. In the mid-1880s, railroad spans of this design were generally limited to 200 feet or less, with most spans 150 feet or less. This span represents an unusually long span of this design for the era, particularly when two spans could have been used instead. Since the original construction, it appears that no major alterations have been made to the bridge. The bridge now serves the Jane Addams trail. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with minor deterioration noted to the substructures. The author has ranked this bridge as being regionally significant, due to the age and truss design.