Overhead Pedestrian Crossing—1938
A federal directive,
the Railroad Crossing
Elimination Program,
resulted in the
construction of this
overhead pedestrian
crossing. It was
opened for public use
in June of 1938.
From the time of its
establishment in 1868,
Green River has been
a town divided by the
Union Pacific Railroad
main line tracks. By
the 1930s, traversing
the yard required
crossing 21 sets of
tracks. The official
crossing was at this
location, at the bottom
of Elizabeth Street (now
North First East) where
there was a grade
crossing regulated by a
gate and tower with a
crossing guard.
The overpass eliminated a safety hazard for pedestrians crossing the tracks and
was a convenience to persons who formerly had to wait long intervals at the crossing
while trains were passing or being switched. This photo was taken from the roof of a
business on the northeast side of Railroad Avenue
In 1913, with the
coming of the
automobile, the
original LINCOLN
HIGHWAY route
through Green River
had been across the
railroad tracks at
this location, then
across the old wagon
bridge and up
Telephone Canyon.
In 1922, the Wyoming
State Highway
Department built a
new highway bridge
across the river west
of Green River. The
LINCOLN HIGHWAY
was then routed west
through town past
Tollgate Rock to the
new bridge
Green River Historic Preservation Commission.
