BNSF Fuller Street Bridge (Bridgeport)

Located in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago, this through plate girder bridge carries a number of railroads across Fuller Street along Interstate 55. In the late 19th Century, the numerous grade crossings throughout the City of Chicago posed a serious hazard to the general public. Overpasses, which carried roads over the railroads, were expensive and detrimental to the surrounding properties. By the late 1890s, the railroads began to work with the city to elevate segments of track through the city, placing subways at street crossings. An ordinance was passed on May 22, 1899 requiring the elevation of the parallel Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (ATSF), Chicago & Alton Railway (C&A) and Illinois Central Railroad (IC) lines between Ash Avenue and Cermak Road. Work began in early 1901, and was completed in early 1902. The project cost $2,733,000, with costs being shared between the three railroads. This section of track elevation was one of the first in Chicago to use exclusively concrete retaining walls and abutments.

At Fuller Street, the C&A and IC shared a six track wide structure on the north side of the bridge, and the ATSF utilized a two track wide structure on the south side of the bridge. These two structures shared abutments, although the superstructures were not connected. The bridges consist of a 67-foot and two 21-foot through plate girder spans, set onto steel columns and concrete abutments. The piers of the bridge exclusively use steel columns, with no bracing between them. The girder spans use a ballast deck, which is set onto the floorbeams of the bridge. These ballast channels did not cover the entire floor, and were prone to spilling debris. Slots underneath allowed the placement of timber, to protect the public beneath from falling debris. In addition, the girders use a design typical of lighter girders, with less vertical stiffeners. These girders also use rounded edges, which was a standard design for numerous railroads. American Bridge Company fabricated the steel, while the Brownell Improvement Company constructed the abutments, footings and retaining walls. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with no significant deterioration noted. Of the eight tracks, four tracks continue to be in use. Canadian National Railway and BNSF Railway now own the north portion of the bridge, while the CTA Orange Line operates on the southern portion of the bridge. A portion of original brick street can be seen underneath the bridge. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.