Chicago Fall Bridge Lifts Begin Wednesday: Schedule and Traffic Delays
Chicago drivers and pedestrians face upcoming traffic delays as the Chicago Department of Transportation launches its annual fall bridge lifts on Wednesday, Sept. 30. The seasonal operations allow sailboats and recreational vessels to travel between Lake Michigan and winter storage facilities along the Chicago River.
Fall Bridge Lift Schedule and Operations
The city’s transportation agency schedules these seasonal boat runs each spring and autumn. During each scheduled date, bridges are raised sequentially starting from DuSable Lake Shore Drive down to the 18th Street Bridge along the South Branch of the Chicago River. Each individual bridge lift takes between eight and 12 minutes on average, during which vehicle and pedestrian traffic comes to a complete halt.
The scheduled dates and times released by transportation officials include:
- Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 9:30 a.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 3 at 9:00 a.m.
- Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 9:30 a.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 10 at 9:00 a.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 17 at 9:00 a.m.
- Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 9:30 a.m.
- Thursday, Oct. 29 at 9:30 a.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 31 at 9:00 a.m.
- Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 9:30 a.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 7 at 9:00 a.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 14 at 9:00 a.m.
Transit Disruptions and Lake Street Bridge Work
In addition to standard seasonal boat runs, commuters should prepare for extra bridge lift activity on Oct. 14, 15, 21, and 24. These additional movements accommodate ongoing rehabilitation work on the 110-year-old Lake Street Bridge.
The structural work on the Lake Street Bridge impacts public transit riders as well. Train service on the Chicago Transit Authority’s Green and Pink lines will face suspension between the Clinton and Clark/Lake stations for nearly two weeks, starting Oct. 13 and running through the morning of Oct. 26. Transportation officials stated that the CTA will supply directional signage and dedicated shuttle buses to guide riders around the affected corridor.
The timing of these autumn operations also follows an incident in early September when high temperatures caused a couple of Chicago bridges to get stuck in upright positions. A transportation agency spokesperson noted that scheduled seasonal bridge lifts typically occur when temperatures remain milder, with forecasts projecting a high near 74 degrees for the opening week of the schedule.