The Chicago Department of Transportation announced on April 20 that spring bridge lifts will begin Wednesday, April 22, with the raising of 27 bridges from South Ashland Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
These bridge lifts occur every spring and fall as part of a twice-weekly schedule on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The process allows recreational boats to travel to and from their storage yards by raising each movable bridge along the Main and South Branches of the Chicago River one at a time. Each lift takes between eight and twelve minutes, temporarily halting traffic until the bridge is lowered again.
While bridges are raised, drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes or wait until passage is restored. CDOT advises motorists to “stay alert, follow posted signs and signals, and use caution near bridge lifts to ensure the safety of crews working on site.” Bridge lifts start at 8:00 a.m. on Saturdays and at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesdays.
The department emphasizes equity, safety, and sustainability in its transportation projects according to the official website. CDOT oversees city streets, alleys, bridges, and transportation systems according to its official website.
Planning, designing, building, and maintaining infrastructure for safe transportation options are key areas for CDOT according to its official website. The department operates within Chicago according to its official website, advancing policies such as Vision Zero which aims to eliminate traffic fatalities according to its official website. Services provided include street maintenance, traffic management, and promoting multimodal transportation options according to its official website.
As these seasonal operations continue in coming weeks with scheduled dates available online for reference through the Spring Bridge Lift Schedule for 2026.
