‘Heat-related issue’ leaves DuSable Lake Shore Drive bridge over Chicago River unusable for over two hours
City authorities are blaming a “heat-related issue” for keeping the DuSable Lake Shore Drive bridge over the Chicago River closed to traffic for more than two hours Wednesday morning during a planned bridge lift, snarling car traffic up and down the lake-bound highway.
In a statement, the Chicago Department of Transportation said: “During a scheduled bridge lift this morning, the DLSD bridge experienced a heat-related issue preventing it from fully closing. Crews are making the necessary adjustments to safely close the bridge and reopen the roadway as quickly as possible.”
Car traffic stood at a standstill on both sides of the bridge as authorities with the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications told drivers to seek an alternative route.
The bridge was still in the partially lifted position at 11:45 a.m., as a Chicago Fire Department boat sprayed water on the structure.
A bridge lift was planned for 10 a.m. for the Spirit of Chicago, a dining yacht with a 600-person capacity, according to an earlier city alert.
A crowd of lakefront trail users gathered on the north end of the bridge, some appearing to wait patiently as crews fully raised the bridge around noon as the Spirit of Chicago yacht returned to Navy Pier. The bridge briefly appeared to close completely at 12:15 p.m., but the attempt was unsuccessful and the bridge was reopened.
One cyclist burst out in frustration, “What’s going on here? This is crazy.”
Another cyclist, Pilbin Im, said she was biking downtown to a meeting and wasn’t aware the bridge was malfunctioning.
“Instead of taking the L, I wanted to enjoy the trail on my divvy bike,” she said. “Maybe I should have checked my emails from the city.”
She had been waiting for two minutes at the stuck bridge before being told by a reporter that the closure had been going on for two hours.
“If there was a sign, that would have been nice,” she said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.