It may be too late to do anything about it, but John Fritsche wishes to preserve a railroad bridge over Route 66 in Edwardsville. The Intelligencer newspaper has the story.
Part of the problem is the bridge will make way in the next 30 days or so for improvements to Illinois Highway 157, which is a prominent alignment of old 66. No one seemed to know about the bridge’s impending removal until now.
Also, the bridge can’t be used for a bike trail because plans have it running under the roadway once it’s improved.
Rich Henry at Henry’s Rabbit Ranch appears to be leading the effort to save the bridge. You can contact him through his Web site.
Just a bit of a clarification here: The bike trail, the MCT (Madison County Transit) Schoolhouse Connector, is going under the new alignment of Route 157, which is northwest of the railroad bridge.
From what I read from the story, the plan is to put fill up to the level of the bridge so the trail will maintain the grade of the old railroad until reaching the new 157 alignment.
I would have to agree it probably is a done deal unless Mother Road advocates can make a solid case for the historical value of the overpass.