Rating:
4 votes
Illinois Prairie Path - Volunteer Bridge
Photos
Volunteer Bridge
Looking southeast; note pedestrian bridge as rebuilt in 2010 is not level with original bridge deck.
Photo taken by Frank Hicks in February 2011
BH Photo #194169
Description
Built 1907 to carry the Elgin Branch of the Chicago Aurora & Elgin RR over the Chicago & North Western RR. The CA&E RR folded in 1957, and the was bridge converted to pedestrian use ca. 1965. Bridge approaches were rebuilt in 2010. Named Volunteer Bridge by the Illinois Prairie Path. There is some disagreement about its construction date; "Sunset Lines Vol. I" by Larry Plachno lists its construction date as 1909 but the IPP celebrated the bridge's 100th anniversary in 2007.Facts
- Overview
- Pratt through truss bridge over Union Pacific RR (formerly Chicago & North Western RR) on Illinois Prairie Path (formerly Chicago Aurora & Elgin RR)
- Location
- Wheaton, Du Page County, Illinois
- Status
- Open to pedestrians
- History
- Built 1907 for CA&E RR, railroad abandoned 1959, converted to trail use ca. 1964, approaches rebuilt 2010
- Railroads
- - Aurora, Elgin & Chicago Railway (AE&C)
- Chicago & North Western Railway (CNW)
- Chicago, Aurora & Elgin Railroad (CA&E)
- Interurban
- Design
- Pratt through skew truss, approach at north end constructed 2010.
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 160.0 ft.
Total length: 1,544.0 ft.
- Also called
- CA&E - Wheaton Bridge
CA&E/CNW Overpass
CA&E - Volunteer Bridge - Approximate latitude, longitude
- +41.86524, -88.11659 (decimal degrees)
41°51'55" N, 88°06'60" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 16/407331/4635417 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Wheaton
- Inventory number
- BH 48239 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- August 18, 2015: New photos from John Marvig
- August 8, 2014: Updated by Luke: Added original approach type, added link to image
- October 8, 2013: New Street View added by J.P.
- November 11, 2012: Updated by Luke Harden: Added categories "Chicago, Aurora & Elgin Railroad", "Interurban"
- August 14, 2012: Updated by Luke Harden: Added category "Railroad"
- December 15, 2011: Updated by Frank Hicks: Added categories "Rail-to-trail", "Skewed"
- February 24, 2011: Added by Frank Hicks
Related Bridges
- AE&C/CNW Overpass (Predecessor)
Sources
- Frank Hicks
- J.P. - wildcatjon2000 [at] gmail [dot] com
- Luke
- Flickr - Image from 1957
- John Marvig - marvigj27 [at] gmail [dot] com
© Copyright 2021, Historic Bridge Foundation and contributors.
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/il/du-page/volunteer/
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/il/du-page/volunteer/
Really nice restoration and re-purpose of this bridge. It is perfect for the path and is completely functional for path users. I used to walk the prairie path all the time to avoid walking down streets and this bridge was the last part when coming into Wheaton. Had it not been there, it would have meant inconvenient detours.