Rating:
3 votes

Green Bay Road Overpass

Lake County, Illinois

Photos 

Photo taken by Steve Conro in February 2014

Enlarge

BH Photo #274299

Map 

Street View 

Facts 

Overview
Double-intersection Warren pony truss bridge over U.P.R.R. on Green Bay Road
Location
Lake Bluff, Lake County, Illinois
Status
Open to traffic
History
Built at an unknown date. Replaced in 1988 with a pre-stressed concrete bridge, and trusses placed on bridge as decoration.
Railroad
- Chicago & North Western Railway (CNW)
Design
Double-intersection Warren pony truss
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 69.9 ft.
Total length: 170.0 ft.
Deck width: 25.9 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+42.27139, -87.85167   (decimal degrees)
42°16'17" N, 87°51'06" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
16/429767/4680260 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Waukegan
Inventory numbers
IL 049-6802 (Illinois bridge number)
BH 55490 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Chicago & North Western Railway (1,405)
Double-intersection Warren pony truss (202)
Double-intersection Warren truss (457)
Functionally obsolete (6,423)
Have street view (26,950)
Illinois (4,647)
Lake Bluff, Illinois (3)
Lake County, Illinois (55)
Modified (38)
 Open (39,885)
Owned by city (5,403)
Pony truss (16,186)
Rail-to-overpass (62)
Relocated (893)
Riveted (2,167)
Span length 50-75 feet (10,076)
Total length 125-175 feet (5,921)
Truss (32,799)

Update Log 

  • February 13, 2014: New photos from Steve Conro
  • February 6, 2013: Added by Nathan Holth

Sources 

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Comments 

Green Bay Road Overpass
Posted September 14, 2018, by John Marvig (marvigj27 [at] gmail [dot] com)

Just stumbled upon this one. It appears the plaque in Picture #10 would indicate this was a former railroad span. The Chicago & North Western was known to reuse these Lattice Pony Trusses as overhead bridges. The outriggers were commonly added after reconstruction. Oftentimes, the original construction was done in the early to mid 1880s, and the reconstruction done between 1895 and 1915, when the mainlines were reconstructed. Some similar bridges, in original configuration is below:

http://bridgehunter.com/wi/marathon/bh52315/

http://bridgehunter.com/il/kane/bh51072/

http://bridgehunter.com/sd/haakon/bh77889/

It looks like this bridge could possibly have outriggers recycled from heel bracing from a through truss. Is this possible? Certainly can see why the Chicago & North Western was known as the "Cheap & Nothing Wasted".

Green Bay Road Overpass
Posted February 7, 2013, by Nathan Holth (form3 [at] historicbridges [dot] org)

I plan to field visit this bridge to see for sure, but I think the unusual structures over the sidewalks are an unusual and creative way to provide outriggers on a pony truss, while not obstructing a cantilevered sidewalk.

Green Bay Road Overpass
Posted February 6, 2013, by Tony Dillon (spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com)

Mixed bag here...

Even thought it is a shame that the structural integrity was lost, retaining the trusses was at least better than nothing.

As fascinating as the trusses are, I am more interested in the overhead supports for the walkways that feature some nicely decorated knee bracing. To me these would suggest a bridge that at least dates into the 1890's. Would love to see them up close.