|
Key Facts |
Bridge Name | Type | Road | Location | City | Crossing |
|
Renwick Road Bridge |
Truss |
Renwick Road |
Will County, IL |
Near Plainfield |
Du Page River |
|
Technical Facts |
|
Construction Date |
Structure Length | Main Span Length | Roadway Width | Vertical Clearance | Panels | Builder |
| Unknown (Must Pre-Date 1901) | 155.8 Feet | 150.9 Feet | 12.1 Feet | 15.9 Feet | 9 at 16.79 Feet | Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Canton, Ohio |
This classic bridge seems out of place in Will County, which along with Cook County is an area filled with massive-membered 1920s and 1930s bridges, mostly movable. Finding a classic pin connected Pratt through truss constructed by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Canton, Ohio is the last thing you might expect. Yet here it sits, open to traffic in an area that is really not that far from a commercialized suburban area. Judging by the deck and ugly railings, someone decided to maintain this bridge rather than demolish it, which is nice to see. Well, the fact that someone cares about the bridge is nice to see, the ugly railings they chose I could do without! I am unsure why so much fencing was needed on a little through truss like this. There is less obstruction on any of the large movable bridges in the area! Just some metal railings to restrain out-of-control cars is all this bridge really needed. Either way, it is better than demolishing the whole bridge, which is what is usually done. I am concerned nevertheless for the bridge, since the superstructure is not in the greatest shape. The trusses could use a more extensive renovation than has been done in the past, if the long-term future of this bridge is for it to remain intact. I could see rust peeking through the paint in spots. This bridge is significant as the only remaining classic pin connected truss bridge in this area of Illinois.
This bridge has a builder plaque on it, and while it looks nice, but like a number of the Wrought Iron Bridge Company plaques, falls short of providing one of the most valuable pieces of information - a construction date! This same plaque design has frustrated the people trying to figure out when the East Delhi Bridge in Michigan was built! HABS HAER simply remarks that the accepted date is 1912, but it is likely older. HABS HAER apparently forgot the history of the Wrought Iron Bridge Company.... the bridge obviously was built before 1901 when the WIBC was absorbed by the American Bridge Company. The bridge is traditionally designed, and features v-lacing on the verticals and under the top chord / end posts. The portal bracing is a lattice design. The bridge is seated on stone abutments. There are nine panels composing the structure.
