A Sign of Fall in Chicago: Bridge Lifts to Start in the City for Boats

The twice-weekly event starts Wednesday and runs through Nov. 14.

Chicago Bridge

One more sign that summer 2020 is coming to a close is the autumn bridge lifts: the Chicago Department of Transportation announced fall bridge lifts will begin in the city.

The lifts will begin at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday and continue to Nov. 14, officials said.

The move allows sailboats and other recreational boats to make their annual trip from the open waters of Lake Michigan to their winter storage facilities. CDOT oversees these bridge lifts each year in the spring and fall seasons.

A total of 27 bridges will be lifted in succession from Lake Shore Drive to Ashland Avenue Bridge on the south branch of the Chicago River. Each lift takes about eight to 12 minutes.

The streets affected by the bridge lifts are: 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., Congress Pkwy., Harrison St., Roosevelt Rd., 18th St., Canal St., Cermak Ave., Halsted St., Loomis Ave., and Ashland Ave.

The Fall 2020 bridge lift schedule is as follows:

· Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 9:30 a.m.

· Saturday, Sept. 26 9 a.m.

· Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 9:30 a.m.

· Saturday Oct. 3 at 9 a.m.

· Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 9:30 a.m.

· Saturday, Oct. 10 at 9 a.m.

· Wednesday, Oct.14 at 9:30 a.m.

· Saturday, Oct. 17 at 9 a.m.

· Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 9:30 a.m.

· Saturday, Oct. 24 at 9 a.m.

· Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 9:30 a.m.

· Saturday, Oct. 31 at 9 a.m.

· Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 9:30 a.m.

· Saturday, Nov. 7 at 9 a.m.

· Saturday, Nov. 14 at 9 a.m.

The full schedule and a comprehensive list of streets impacted by the autumn bridge lifts can be found at www.chicagodot.org

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