Crews finish installing structural steel sidewalk pieces for the Navy Pier Flyover segment over the Chicago River.

Work continues on the third, final segment of the Flyover. The east side of the Lake Shore Drive bridge is being retrofitted with a new cantilever structure that will widen the trail to eliminate the existing bottlenecks. Crews will also work on the pathway surface, ornamental railing and remaining connection details.

Construction of the tunnel openings continues with the installation of a new concrete deck and widened connections to the adjacent flyover bridges north and south of the river. Mechanical and electrical work within the south leaf are nearing completion. Overnight closures for bridge testing will be scheduled within the next several weeks. Additional information will be provided when these are scheduled.

Permanent lane closures on Upper Lake Shore Drive will no longer be required now that this work is complete. Daily closures may still occur to allow access for work when needed.

Visit the Detours & Closures page to see the upcoming lane closures through fall 2020.

For the remainder of June, crews will finish final paint touch-ups, electrical details, and site restoration on the second segment of the Flyover.

Work continues on the third, final segment of the Flyover. The east side of the Lake Shore Drive bridge is being retrofitted with a new cantilever structure. This structure will widen the trail to eliminate the existing bottlenecks.

Crews are currently installing the new cantilever structural steel supports for the widened trail attached to the existing movable bascule bridge. Vehicle lane closures on northbound upper Lake Shore Drive are in place to make room for the crane that lowers the structural steel into place below.

The tunnel openings were cut through the limestone and concrete walls of the bridge houses where the widened trail will pass through. This phase of the project also involves structural, mechanical and electrical repairs to the Lake Shore Drive bascule bridge.

The temporary Lakefront Trail and one northbound vehicle lane remain shifted into the center bay of Lake Shore Drive over the Chicago River to continue construction on the east. Visit the Detours & Closures page to see the upcoming lane closures through fall 2020.

View looking north from opening in existing bridge house to widened path under construction.

View looking north showing new wider path next to existing path with bridge house opening in the distance.

This order, which closes Chicago’s lakefront, public parks and other trails, was issued to safeguard public health and encourage residents to practice essential social distancing techniques shown to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The order went into effect Thursday, March 26 and will remain in place until the end of the stay-at-home order currently slated through April 7.  

Many alternative routes are still available to Chicago residents choosing to walk or bike to work during this time, and residents are encouraged to visit Chicago.gov/CDOT to view the city’s network of 248 miles of bike lanes.

The Flyover now extends from Ohio Street Beach over the intersection at Grand Avenue and Illinois Street, the Ogden Slip and DuSable Park, dropping down to connect the sidewalk on the lower level of Lake Shore Drive just north of the northern bridge house.

Crews continue to work on the third, final segment of the Flyover. They are retrofitting the east side of the Lake Shore Drive bridge with a cantilever structure. This structure will allow for widening of the trail to eliminate the existing bottlenecks on the path. This phase of the project also involves structural, mechanical and electrical repairs to the Lake Shore Drive bascule bridge.

Underground foundations that will support and protect the widened trail structure at the bridge houses have been completed, and the existing limestone has been removed where the widened trail will be constructed. Workers are now beginning to cut the openings in the existing bridge houses and starting structural steel modifications to install the widened trail.

Additionally, repairs to the center two lanes of the south leaf have been completed and the temporary Lakefront Trail and one northbound lane will be shifted into the center bay to continue construction on the east. Visit the Detours & Closures page to see the upcoming lane closures beginning March 16 through fall 2020.

Construction is underway on the underground foundations that will support and protect the widened trail structure at the bridge houses. To continue repairing the bridge’s structural steel, work is shifting from the western two lanes on Lower Lake Shore Drive to the center two lanes. The graphic below illustrates the upcoming lane closures beginning December 13 through February 2020.

The first and second segments of the Flyover remain open to all users of the Lakefront Trail while work on railings and other final details are finished on the second segment. Temporary railings and barriers will be removed as sections of the permanent railings are completed.

The Flyover now extends from Ohio Street Beach over the intersection at Grand and Illinois Streets, the Ogden Slip and DuSable Park, dropping down to connect to the sidewalk on the lower level of Lake Shore Drive just north of the northern bridge house.

Crews continue to work on the second and third segments, which involve retrofitting the existing Lake Shore Drive bridge with a cantilever structure on the east side. This will allow for widening the trail to eliminate the existing bottlenecks on the path. The project also involves structural and mechanical repairs to the movable bascule bridge.

Phase Two:

In July, crews finished welding the steel spine for the portion of the path over the Ogden Slip.

Crews are now working to construct the deck for the northern portion of the path. Once the concrete deck is poured over the Ogden Slip, the phase one flyover will need to be closed to complete the last segment of the bridge deck along the temporary pathway. During this closure, crews will pour the last concrete deck and install the final ribs, railings and light fixtures to complete phase two of the project and open the pathway.

Starting on Tuesday, September 3, the new section of the Navy Pier Flyover that was opened last December will be closed to bicyclists and pedestrians starting early Tuesday, September 3 through late September. This closure is required in order to connect the completed segment to the second phase of the project, which is nearing completion.

While the path is closed, pedestrians and bicyclists will be directed with signage to use the old route of the Lakefront Trail at street level across Illinois and Grand on Lower Lake Shore Drive. Visit Detours & Closures for more information.

Following this closure, the flyover will re-open along with the phase two portion of the Lakefront Trail connecting via a temporary bridge to the east sidewalk of the Lake Shore Drive Bridge. A ramp from the flyover down to Navy Pier and Illinois Street will also open at that time.

Phase Three:

Phase three work in August will focus on widening the path through the existing limestone bridge houses on the east side of the Lower Lake Shore Drive draw bridge. Crews have begun removing old material and deteriorated mortar from the bridge houses so the limestone walls can be repaired. Crews are also rehabilitating the draw bridge.

Meanwhile, the structural steel and roadway grates are being replaced in the westernmost bay of the bridge. Crews are working to repair mechanisms between the two moveable portions of the bridge as well.

During this stage of construction, the two westernmost lanes on the southbound portion of Lower Lake Shore Drive will be closed. Vehicles will still be able to access Lower Wacker Drive as well as southbound Lake Shore Drive.

Drivers may also experience daily lane closures for ongoing roadway maintenance and other improvements. Please visit the Detours & Closures page to plan your trip accordingly.

Phase Two:

A major project milestone was completed on June 12, 2019 with the successful installation of the Flyover’s structural steel spine over the Ogden Slip. Installation of the steel spine is also complete for the southern portion of the path. Crews will now work to set the final pieces of spine adjacent to the Ogden Slip and the steel ribs, construct the bridge deck, which will be the surface of the path, and install path railings.

Check out the video below to see how crews installed the 105-foot long, 130,000-pound steel spine piece using a large crane set up in DuSable Park.

Phase Three:

Phase three work in June will continue to accommodate the widened path through the existing limestone bridge houses on the east side of the Lower Lake Shore Drive bascule bridge. Crews are rehabilitating the movable bridge and working inside the bridge houses to remove old materials. They will also install temporary center locks between the two movable portions of the bridge and replace the structural steel and steel roadway grating in the westernmost bay of the bridge.

During stage one, the two westernmost, southbound lanes on Lower Lake Shore Drive over the Chicago River will be closed. Vehicles will still be able to access Lower Wacker Drive and southbound Lakeshore Drive while southbound Lower Lakeshore Drive is reduced to two lanes.

 Daily lane closures on Lower Lake Shore Drive may also occur for ongoing roadway maintenance and other improvements. Please visit the Detours & Closures page to plan your trip accordingly.

Traffic will be impacted during non-rush hours on Lower Lake Shore Drive to prepare for the stage change which will close two southbound traffic lanes through July 2019. Visit the Detours & Closures page to plan your trip accordingly.

Work is also beginning on the rehabilitation of the movable bridge over the Chicago River to accommodate the widened path. During March, crews are working inside the bridge houses to remove existing equipment needed to make room for the new path. Improvements are also underway inside the machinery rooms below the bridge.

In early April, work will begin on the movable bridge on lower Lakeshore Drive at the west sidewalk and southbound traffic lanes. Southbound lower Lakeshore Drive will be reduced to two lanes maintaining access to lower Wacker Drive and Southbound Lakeshore Drive. Daily lane closures on lower Lakeshore Drive will be utilized to prepare for this work. CDOT will provide additional information on upcoming traffic impacts once the start date is established.