Searching for Old Bridges in Central Illinois

[rhino_adv]

Here we have the Through truss bridge over Bear Creek on TR 70, 1.75 mi. north of Palmer. This bridge was built in 1916 and is open to traffic. The bridge has a Total length: 104.0 ft., Deck width: 15.1 ft. and a Vertical clearance above deck of: 14.0 ft.

Location: N 39°29'30" ,W 89°24'54"












Brad

[mdmaroon]

If you like old bridges, check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcbH-...layer_embedded

I saw this one a few weeks ago returning from a camping trip. Glad I stopped to stretch my legs!

(Video is not mine)

[rhino_adv]

Originally Posted by mdmaroon

If you like old bridges, check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcbH-...layer_embedded

I saw this one a few weeks ago returning from a camping trip. Glad I stopped to stretch my legs!

(Video is not mine)

mdmaroon, thank you for sharing the video! that is an awesome bridge!

Brad

[rhino_adv]

Here is the closed Pony truss bridge over Prairie Fork on TR 277, 1 mi. northwest of Morrisonvle in Christian County. The bridge has a Total length: 49.8 ft. and Deck width: 13.1 ft.

Location: N39°26'12", W89°28'16"







Brad

[Nardowell]

[QUOTE=rhino_adv;16137478]Today I walked through the garage and noticed how sad the XT600 looked since it hadnt been ridden for sometime. So, I pushed it out to the driveway and grabbed my helmet and Fieldsheer jacket and headed for some gravel. I picked up a gravel road just west of my place and ran it south towards Logan County. I headed to another old iron bridge in the center of the county. Here are a few pics.

location N40 12' 38.4" W89 20' 44.8"



This is a great old bridge. I found it on my "other" bike while riding with some Vietnam vets from Chicago to St. Louis.
Now that I found this thread, I'll have to take pictures of old bridges in central IL while on my "motorized bike".

[Nardowell]

Originally Posted by Sidney

Rhino,

Are you part of the group that rides out of Eureka once a week all on dirt/DS's? I'm from Bloomington and just bought a '09 KLR650 brand new and been getting miles before heading to Colorado this Friday. Guess I've been by Green Gables & Lake Road Inn a couple times in the last 2 weeks! Haven't stopped since it's too early in my evening rides to stop yet for dinner.

If you plan a Bridge group ride...let me know and I'll tag along. I'm sure after a week of off road...I'll be jonesing for some dirt/gravel.

Sidney

Here is a picture of the Green Gables which is well known for good burgers. Lake Road Inn across the street has great food also.

[rhino_adv]

[QUOTE=Nardowell;16976303]

Originally Posted by rhino_adv

Today I walked through the garage and noticed how sad the XT600 looked since it hadnt been ridden for sometime. So, I pushed it out to the driveway and grabbed my helmet and Fieldsheer jacket and headed for some gravel. I picked up a gravel road just west of my place and ran it south towards Logan County. I headed to another old iron bridge in the center of the county. Here are a few pics.

location N40 12' 38.4" W89 20' 44.8"



This is a great old bridge. I found it on my "other" bike while riding with some Vietnam vets from Chicago to St. Louis.
Now that I found this thread, I'll have to take pictures of old bridges in central IL while on my "motorized bike".

Im not sure if your aware of this, but there is another through truss bridge very similar to this one and a small pony truss bridge, about 5 miles west of this one. Location: N40 13'21.4" W89 24'11.8" There are pictures of them in post #3 of this thread.

Brad

[Sourjon]

Rhino: I posted the Kentucky Covered Bridges and found this thread from your sig. Here's a pic from a cool looking bridge near Augusta, KY that looks a lot like the Rainbow Bridge from page 1. Smaller yes, but the arches are very similar. Great thread.

John

[rhino_adv]

Originally Posted by Sourjon

Rhino: I posted the Kentucky Covered Bridges and found this thread from your sig. Here's a pic from a cool looking bridge near Augusta, KY that looks a lot like the Rainbow Bridge from page 1. Smaller yes, but the arches are very similar. Great thread.

John

Sourjon,.....thanks for sharing the arch bridge, it is very interesting. I really enjoyed your ride report on the covered bridges in Kentucky! I especially enjoyed the Switzer Bridge and Valley Pike Bridge, very rustic!!! If your interested here is a link to a ride a buddy and I took a week and a half ago into Indiana that had several covered bridges on it.

Brad

[Sourjon]

Originally Posted by rhino_adv

Sourjon,.....thanks for sharing the arch bridge, it is very interesting. I really enjoyed your ride report on the covered bridges in Kentucky! I especially enjoyed the Switzer Bridge and Valley Pike Bridge, very rustic!!! If your interested here is a link to a ride a buddy and I took a week and a half ago into Indiana that had several covered bridges on it.

Brad

Valley Pike is in bad shape. It's privately owned and not maintained but I rode across it anyway. The Illinois route looks interesting. If you post a revision I'd be interested. I'll be in Casey/Moonshine on Nov 5 and might stay over and try to ride it on Sunday weather and work permitting. I did the Hoosier National Forest Ride this past weekend and saw several covered bridges but didn't have the time to stop and investigate. Have to go back!

John

Here's the floor on Valley Pike.

[Nardowell]

Here is an old bridge in Woodford County (Ill) on 2325 E just south of 1100 N.
It is NW of Elpaso.
40,756189 89,097238

There is some nice riding in this Panther Creek area.

[rhino_adv]

Originally Posted by Nardowell

Here is an old bridge in Woodford County (Ill) on 2325 E just south of 1100 N.
It is NW of Elpaso.
40,756189 89,097238

There is some nice riding in this Panther Creek area.

Thanks for sharing a photo of this bridge. This is a deck truss bridge over Panther Creek. it was built in 1925 with a total length: 92.8 ft. and a deck width: 12.1 ft. The bridge was found structurally deficient in 2005 and closed to all traffic shortly afterwards.

Nardowell, I love a tour of the Panther Creek back roads some time in the future.


Brad

[rhino_adv]

A couple months back I was riding through Bureau County when I came across this old covered bridge. It is known as the RED COVERED BRIDGE over Bureau Creek on Old Dad Joe Trail in Princeton.
This is a Covered Howe through truss bridge. It was built in 1863 and rehabilitated in 1973 with a total length: 147.9 ft., a deck width: 15.4 ft. and vertical clearance above deck: 11.9 ft.

Location: N41°24'59" , W89°28'43"











Brad

[rhino_adv]

Back in August I came across this bridge in northern Illinois on my way to ride the Trans-Wisconsin-Adv-Trail. This bridge is a through truss bridge over Plum River on West Point Road, 5.5 mi. northwest of Mt Carroll in Carroll county. The bridge was built in 1904 and is now closed to all traffic. It has a total length of 148.9 ft., a deck width of 11.5 ft. and a vertical clearance above deck of 13.5 ft.

Location: N42°08'48" , W90°04'26"











Brad

[rhino_adv]

I have put together a gpx file containing 475+ old bridges in Illinois. You can find the file in "Layin down tracks" GPS Tracks central, or just click HERE. I also updated the first post of this thread with this info.

I hope to link a number of the more interesting old bridges with as much gravel/dirt roads as possible and post the track/route here this winter.

Brad