Portions of the Lincoln Highway were first established by identifying existing roads to be paved, and the Sauk Trail from the eastern Illinois border westbound through Sauk Village was designated as part of the original route, including the Kalvelage Bridge. It served as a major road for daily commutes across the Illinois-Indiana state line and was essential to farmers transporting dairy, children going to school, and tourists traveling into the city. In the early highway days, as automobile traffic increased, motorists often had to share the bridge with local livestock.