Chicago announces start date for fall bridge lifts along river

Tom Carney Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) | Chicago City Website

By Chicago City Wire

Sep 18, 2024

The City of Chicago has announced the commencement of the autumn bridge lifts on Saturday, September 21 at 9:00 a.m. Following this initiation, bridges along the main and south branches of the Chicago River will be lifted sequentially twice weekly, on Saturdays and Wednesdays. This operation allows sailboats and other recreational boats to transition from Lake Michigan to their winter storage facilities. The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) oversees these biannual bridge lifts.

During these boat runs, each bridge is typically raised one at a time, with each lift taking an average of 8-12 minutes. While a bridge is in the upright position, traffic is halted; drivers may use alternate streets or wait until the bridge is lowered. Affected streets range from DuSable Lake Shore Drive to Ashland Avenue Bridge on the south branch of the Chicago River.

A total of 27 bridges will be lifted in succession from Lake Shore Drive to Ashland Avenue Bridge. If no boat owners have scheduled movements for a particular day, the bridges will not be lifted.

The affected streets include: DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Columbus Dr., Michigan Ave., Wabash Ave., State St., Dearborn St., Clark St., La Salle St., Wells St., Franklin St., Lake St., Randolph St., Washington St., Madison St., Monroe St., Adams St., Jackson Blvd., Van Buren St., Ida B. Wells Dr., Harrison St., Roosevelt Rd., 18th St., Canal St., Cermak Ave., Halsted St., Loomis Ave., and Ashland Ave.

The Fall 2024 bridge lift schedule is as follows:

- Saturday, September 21 at 9:00 a.m.

- Wednesday, September 25 at 9:30 a.m.

- Saturday, September 28 at 9:00 a.m.

- Wednesday, October 2 at 9:30 a.m.

- Saturday, October 5 at 9:00 a.m.

- Wednesday, October 9 at 9:30 a.m.

- Saturday, October 12 at 9:00 a.m.

- Wednesday, October 16 at 9:30 a.m.

- Saturday, October 19 at 9:00 a.m.

- Wednesday, October 23 at 9:30 a.m.

- Saturday, October 26 at 9:00 a.m.