Lake Street bridge reconstruction requires additional time; normal CTA rail service expected to fully resume by 4 a.m. Wednesday, October 28
The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced today that construction activities associated with the major replacement of the Lake Street Bridge will be extended an additional two days beyond the original schedule – moving the completion time from Monday, October 26 to 4 am. Wednesday, October 28, due to the complexity of the connections between the existing and new bridge leaf elements and unanticipated alignment issues.
While CDOT crews require additional time to complete complex structural, electrical, and mechanical alignments on the bridge leaf, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has successfully completed track and interlocking maintenance at Tower 18 over the weekend.
As such, effective 4 a.m. Monday, October 26, Brown, Orange, and Purple line trains will resume normal operations and serve the Loop Elevated tracks.
To accommodate the ongoing CDOT bridge construction, the temporary service adjustments previously established for Green and Pink line trains will remain in place:
- Green Line: Trains will continue operating in two segments—between Harlem/Lake and Clinton, and between Clark/Lake and South Side terminals. Bus shuttles will carry passengers between Clinton and Clark/Lake stations.
- Pink Line: Trains will continue operating between 54th/Cermak and the Racine Blue Line station, where passengers can transfer to Blue Line trains to reach downtown. Pink Line trains will not operate around the Loop elevated structure.
Normal CTA rail operations across all lines are expected to fully resume by 4 a.m. Wednesday, October 28, following final alignment checks, systems testing, and test train runs by CDOT and CTA personnel. CDOT appreciates the continued patience of Chicago commuters, residents and business owners as crews work to safely finalize this essential bridge infrastructure project.
For real-time CTA service alerts and travel guidance, visit transitchicago.com.
For additional updates on city bridge construction projects, visit Chicago.gov/CDOT.
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