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Route 66 Bridge over the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railroad

Historic bridge
In Shamrock, Texas
On Route 66
National Register of Historic Places

This five-span bridge near Shamrock, TX, was built in 1932 to carry Route 66 over the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railroad. It served highway traffic until 1960 and now carries cars on the I-40 south frontage road, so it is still in use. Listed on the National Register, it sits about 1.4 miles off the main route and can be driven across.

What it is

The bridge is 125 feet long, built of steel and concrete, with a deck 27 feet wide around a roadway of 24 feet. Its central span rests on steel I-beams wrapped in concrete. The other spans use reinforced concrete girders set on reinforced concrete pile bents. The railroad below is gone, and the bridge now crosses its former right-of-way.

A bit of history

The span opened in 1932 and handled Route 66 traffic for nearly three decades, until 1960. It was never torn out; instead it was put to work on the frontage road beside the interstate. The bridge joined the National Register in 2007.

Visiting tips

The bridge carries the I-40 south frontage road, so the easiest way to see it is simply to drive across. Pull off only where it is safe, as it remains a working road. The Magnolia Service Station is about 6.5 miles away, the U-Drop Inn about 8 miles away, and the West Winds Motel about 13 miles away.

Practical info

Address: Interstate 40 south frontage road over the former CRI&G Railroad ROW

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix

On the map

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Route 66 Bridge over the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railroad with the 6 closest stops. Tap a marker for details.

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Nearby stops

All of Texas

Magnolia Service Station

Texola, Oklahoma · on Route 66

A little house-style gas station in Texola, one of the last stops in Oklahoma for westbound drivers.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit

6.5 mi from Route 66 Bridge over the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railroad

U-Drop Inn

Shamrock, Texas · on Route 66

Shamrock's Art Deco gas station and cafe, with twin flared towers, glazed tile walls and neon trim.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit

8.1 mi from Route 66 Bridge over the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railroad

West Winds Motel

Erick, Oklahoma · on Route 66

A 1940s Mission Revival motor court in Erick, with a garage beside every room around a U-shaped yard.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit

13.1 mi from Route 66 Bridge over the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railroad

First National Bank

Erick, Oklahoma · on Route 66

A 1907 bank building in Erick with a survey marker for the 100th meridian set into its wall.

MuseumPhoto credit

13.5 mi from Route 66 Bridge over the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railroad

Roger Miller Museum

Erick, Oklahoma · on Route 66

The former home of a Roger Miller museum in the singer's hometown of Erick, on old Route 66.

Museum

13.5 mi from Route 66 Bridge over the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railroad

Hext

Hext, Oklahoma · 0.3 mi from Route 66

A small rural community in Beckham County, tucked between Interstate 40 and the old Route 66 business loop.

Ghost town

20.0 mi from Route 66 Bridge over the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railroad

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