BUCKTOWN — The renovation of a bridge connecting Bucktown to Lincoln Park over the Chicago River is expected to be finished by the end of November, city officials said.
The Webster Avenue bridge has been closed to traffic since an extensive rehabilitation project broke ground last year.
Prior to that, the bridge was sporadically closed for maintenance throughout 2019 and 2020.
Renovations include a full replacement of the bridge deck and other infrastructure improvements. Officials initially said the project would take nine months, but construction was set back by supply chain issues and material shortages, a Chicago Department of Transportation spokesperson said.
“CDOT expects the Webster Avenue Bridge rehabilitation project to be completed in late November 2022,” the spokesperson said.
According to a city news release, the project includes:
- Replacement of the bridge deck, to be partially filled with concrete that will improve the riding surface for people on bikes, and replacement of various structural beams, trusses and bracings.
- Signal timing improvements at Ashland Avenue.
- Lighting improvements throughout the project limits.
- Rehabilitation of historical elements, including the bridge house structures.
- Improvements to crosswalks, curb ramps and sidewalks for ADA compliance.
- Improved pavement markings for shared traffic and bicycle lanes.
Built in 1916, the Webster bridge is “a classic example of Chicago-style double-leaf trunnion bridges with pony trusses that were built by the city in the first two decades of the 20th century,” according to the city.
It has not been opened for the passage of boats since the ’60s, and it was last rehabilitated in 1967.
The Webster project will be followed by similar renovations to the Cortland Street bridge a few blocks south. Work and closures are expected to begin in spring, the CDOT spokesperson said.
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