The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced that the Wells Street Bridge will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic this weekend and next to allow for work on the section of the Chicago Riverwalk that will pass under the bridge, known as the underbridge. The work has been coordinated to minimize disruption to the public and timed to take advantage of the CTA’s scheduled Brown Line service cut which has Brown Line trains operating on the Red Line subway tracks between Fullerton and the Loop, from 8 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Monday, for ongoing Ravenswood Connector Rehabilitation project work.

Both leafs of the Wells Street Bridge will be raised and locked in the up position on Friday, September 18th at 8:30 p.m. The bridge will be closed to all pedestrians, vehicles and bicycles until Sunday, September 20th at midnight. This will allow the contractor to mobilize a crane and drill rig needed to install the steel casings for the caissons that will support the underbridge.

A second bridge closure is required the following weekend, from Friday, September 25th until midnight Sunday, September 27th, to complete the caisson installation.

Detour routes for pedestrians, vehicles and bicycles will be set up on both weekends via the LaSalle Street Bridge during the bridge closures. During the temporary Brown Line cut between Fullerton and Clark/Lake, the CTA will be operating free bus shuttle service that will make all stops at or near the affected Brown Line stations.

The westbound curb lane of Lower Wacker Drive between LaSalle Street and State Street will have daily temporary closures between 7 a.m. 4 p.m.

The westbound curb lane of Upper Wacker Drive between LaSalle Street and State Street may have daily temporary closures between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

CDOT is now working on Phase 3 of the Chicago Riverwalk, extending from LaSalle Street under the Wells Street and Franklin Street bridges to Lake Street. When Phase 3 is complete at the end of 2016, the Riverwalk will provide a 1.25-mile continuous promenade from Lake Shore Drive to Lake St.

For more information about the Chicago Riverwalk, go to: http://www.riverwalkexpansion.com/

For more information about the CTA Brown Line service impacts, go to:
http://www.transitchicago.com/travel_information/alert_detail.aspx?AlertId=30170

You can follow CDOT on digital media:
Twitter: @ChicagoDOT
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The web: chicagodot.org