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Downtown bridge lifts along Chicago River begin Wednesday, city says

By Alex Ortiz
Published  April 20, 2026 3:07pm CDT
Loop
FOX 32 Chicago

The Brief

    • Chicago will begin its regular downtown bridge lifts this week to allow for boat traffic along the Chicago River.
    • The bridge lifts typically happen on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
    • The first round of lifts starts on Wednesday, April 22.

CHICAGO - Regular bridge lifts along the Chicago River will begin this week to allow for recreational boat travel in the downtown area.

What You Should Know:

The first round of bridge lifts will start this Wednesday with the raising of 27 bridges from South Ashland Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive, according to the Chicago Department of Transportation.

Each year, the city raises the movable bridges along the main and south branches of the Chicago River twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays to allow for the boat traffic. During the so-called "boat runs," the bridges are typically raised one at a time, with each lift taking about 8 to 12 minutes.

While the bridge is lifted, traffic is temporarily stopped from crossing. Drivers can use alternate routes or wait until the bridge is lowered to cross.

Bridge lifts usually start at 8 a.m. on Saturdays and 9 a.m. on Wednesdays, according to CDOT.

The spring 2026 schedule can be found on the city’s website.

The Source

  • The information in this story was provided by the Chicago Department of Transportation.

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