Railroad Bridges in Cook County, Illinois


Cook County is located in northeast Illinois, and is the most populous county in Illinois. The seat and largest city are both Chicago.

Random Bridges

CN Harlem Avenue Bridge (Lyons)

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CN Harlem Avenue Bridge (Lyons)

(Illinois Central Railroad Bridge #6.8)

This through plate girder bridge crosses Illinois Route 43 (Harlem Avenue) in Lyons

Lyons, Cook County, Illinois to Forest View, Cook County, Illinois

Owner: Canadian National Railway

Status: In Use

Built 1931

by

Unknown

for

Chicago & Illinois Western Railroad

Design:
46' through plate girder and timber pile trestle

Description:
Through plate girder bridge over Illinois Route 43 (Harlem Avenue)

Significance:

Local

Bloomingdale Trail - Artesian Avenue Bridge

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Bloomingdale Trail - Artesian Avenue Bridge

(Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge #Z-10C)

This concrete slab bridge carries the Bloomingdale (606) Trail over Artesian Avenue in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago

West Town, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

Owner: City of Chicago

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built 1914

by

Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway

Design:
2-20' and 2-10' concrete slabs

Description:
Concrete slab bridge over Artesian Avenue

Significance:

Local

CNW North Shore Channel Bridge

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CNW North Shore Channel Bridge

(Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #543 1/4)

This unusual deck plate girder bridge carries an abandoned railroad over the North Shore Channel south of Oakton Street

Skokie, Cook County, Illinois

Owner: Private Owner

Status: In Use

Built 1909

by

George W. Jackson, Inc. of Chicago, Illinois and John T. Fanning & Company of Chicago, Illinois

for

Chicago & North Western Railway

Design:
60' deck plate girder

Description:
Deck plate girder bridge over North Shore Channel

Significance:

Moderate

CN Front Street Bridge (Matteson)

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CN Front Street Bridge (Matteson)

(Illinois Central Railroad Bridge #28.2)

This deck plate girder and concrete slab bridge crosses Front Street and the Old Plank Road Trail in Matteson

Matteson, Cook County, Illinois

Owner: Canadian National Railway

Status: In Use

Built 1923

by

American Bridge Company of New York and Bates & Rogers Construction Company of Chicago, Illinois

for

Illinois Central Railroad

Design:
37' deck plate girder, 34' concrete encased beam and 2-25' concrete slabs

Description:
Deck plate girder bridge over Front Street and Old Plank Road Trail

Significance:

Local

Lemont Railroad Bridge

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Lemont Railroad Bridge

(Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #24B)

This bobtail through truss swing span carries the BNSF mainline over the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in Lemont

Lemont, Cook County, Illinois

Owner: BNSF Railway

Status: In Use

Built 1898

by

Keystone Bridge Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and MacArthur Brothers Company of Chicago, Illinois

for

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway

Design:
398' bobtail Pratt through truss swing span

Description:
Bobtail Pratt through truss swing span over Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal

Significance:

High

CN I-88 Bridge (Hillside)

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CN I-88 Bridge (Hillside)

This through plate girder bridge crosses Interstate 88 at its eastern terminus at Interstate 290 in Hillside

Hillside, Cook County, Illinois

Owner: Canadian National Railway

Status: In Use

Built 1952 and 2000

by

Unknown

for

Illinois Central Railroad

Design:
7 span through plate girder

Description:
Through plate girder bridge over Interstate 88

Significance:

Local

CPKC Wilson Avenue Bridge (Portage Park)

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CPKC Wilson Avenue Bridge (Portage Park)

(Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge #A-40)

This standard concrete slab bridge carries the Metra Milwaukee District North over Wilson Avenue

Portage Park, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

Owner: Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited

Status: In Use

Built 1927

by

Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway

Design:
2-22' and 2-13' concrete slab

Description:
Concrete slab bridge over Wilson Avenue

Significance:

Local

Wells Street Bridge

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Wells Street Bridge

This iconic through truss bascule bridge carries Wells Street and the CTA Brown and Purple Lines over the Chicago River

Loop, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois to Near North Side, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

Owner: City of Chicago

Status: In Use

Built 1922

by

Fort Pitt Bridge Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; FitzSimons & Connell Dredge & Dock Company of Chicago, Illinois and Ketler-Elliott Erection Company of Chicago, Illinois

for

City of Chicago

Design:
268' Double deck Warren through truss bascule (double leaf fixed trunnion)

Description:
Double leaf Warren through truss bascule bridge over Chicago River

Significance:

Regional

Kedzie Avenue Railroad Bridge

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Kedzie Avenue Railroad Bridge

(Chicago, Madison & Northern Swing Bridge)

This large through truss swing bridge carries the former Illinois Central Railroad over the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal east of Kedzie Avenue

South Lawndale, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

Owner: Canadian National Railway

Status: In Use

Built 1899

by

Toledo Bridge Company of Toledo, Ohio; MacArthur Brothers Company of Chicago, Illinois and Winson Brothers Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota

for

Illinois Central Railroad

Design:
474' Pratt through truss swing bridge

Description:
Through truss swing bridge over Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal

Significance:

High

CTA Purple Line - Simpson Street Bridge

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CTA Purple Line - Simpson Street Bridge

(Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge #J-166)

This standard concrete slab bridge carries the CTA Purple Line over Simpson Street in Evanston

Evanston, Cook County, Illinois

Owner: Chicago Transit Authority

Status: In Use

Built 1930

by

Unknown

for

Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad

Design:
2-25' concrete slabs

Description:
Concrete slab bridge over Simpson Street

Significance:

Local