CDOT - Chicago Department of Transportation

09/29/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/30/2025 16:22

CDOT: Annual Fall Bridge Lifts Along the Chicago River Starting Wednesday, October 1

Chicago - The City of Chicago announced that annual fall "boat runs" will begin on Wednesday, October 1 at 9:30 a.m., when bridges along the main and south branches of the Chicago River will be lifted twice weekly to allow sailboats and other recreational boats to move from Lake Michigan to their winter storage facilities. The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) oversees the bridge lifts each year, in the spring and fall seasons.

During these boat runs, which take place each Wednesday and Saturday, the bridges will be lifted in succession from DuSable Lake Shore Drive to the 18th Street Bridge on the South Branch of the Chicago River. They are typically raised one at a time, with each bridge lift taking an average of 8 to 12 minutes. While the bridge is in the upright position, traffic is halted, and drivers may use alternate streets or wait until the bridge is lowered.

The Fall 2025 bridge lift schedule is as follows:

  • Wednesday, October 1 at 9:30 a.m.
  • Saturday, October 4 at 9:00 a.m.
  • Wednesday, October 8 at 9:30 a.m.
  • Saturday, October 11 at 9:00 a.m.
  • Wednesday, October 15 at 9:30 a.m.
  • Saturday, October 18 at 9:00 a.m.
  • Wednesday, October 22 at 9:30 a.m.
  • Saturday, October 25 at 9:00 a.m.
  • Wednesday, October 29 at 9:30 a.m.
  • Saturday, November 1 at 9:00 a.m.
  • Wednesday, November 5 at 9:30 a.m.
  • Saturday, November 8 at 9:00 a.m.
  • Wednesday, November 12 at 9:30 a.m.
  • Saturday, November 15 at 9:00 a.m.
CDOT - Chicago Department of Transportation published this content on September 29, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 30, 2025 at 22:22 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]