This bridge is the key railroad bridge over the Illinois River in the Peoria area. Several railroads use this bridge including the CN and BNSF, and several industries depend on this bridge including Caterpillar. The bridge dates back to 1909. The original lift mechanism was replaced with a new lift span in 1984. The bridge is operated by remote control from a control tower located at a nearby railroad junction. The bridge is set up for two parallel railroad tracks, but one of the tracks is no longer in use.
These two photos were taken from the Cedar Street with a telephoto lens pointed nearly into the sun. It is surprising that they turned out as well as they did. This was the only location I could find to photograph this bridge. The south side of the bridge is all industrial, so it is off limits. The north side has a rail line and trees, so I wasn't able to find an angle. I did find a sand and gravel yard just south of the bridge where I might be able to sneak a photo or two. I'll try that the next time I pass though Peoria.
