Chicago has some of the oldest and most beautiful bridges in the country, but some of these historic structures are in serious need of repair. A recent study by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association found that nine of the ten most structurally deficient bridges in the state are located in the Chicago area, including several along Lake Shore Drive.
Three Lake Shore Drive bridges—located at the main branch of the Chicago River, Wilson Avenue and Lawrence Avenue—were included on the list of the most traveled structurally deficient bridges in Illinois. The Wilson Avenue bridge, which is missing large chunks of concrete, sees more than 102,000 daily crossings and is considered among the worst. According to the Tribune, the Chicago Department of Transportation is planning to repair the three Lake Shore Drive bridges this year.
The 2017 bridge report, which used figures from the Federal Highway Administration, also found that more than 9 percent of all Chicago bridges are considered "structurally deficient." According to the Washington-based trade group, the term does not mean the structures are in immediate danger of collapsing but are in need of repair or rebuilding.
Statewide, 8.4 percent of the 26,704 bridges in Illinois meet this classification and another 7 percent are considered "functionally obsolete," meaning the bridge does not meet current design standards.
The 10 most-traveled structurally deficient bridges in Illinois are:
- I-55 over Lemont Road (DuPage County)
- Route 53 northbound over Kirchoff Road (Cook County)
- Route 53 southbound over Kirchoff Road (Cook County)
- I-290 over Salt Creek (DuPage County)
- Lake Shore Drive over the main branch of the Chicago River (Cook County)
- I-90/94 northbound over Wells to 29th Pl (Cook County)
- I-55 over Joliet Road (Will County)
- Lake Shore Drive over Willson Ave (Cook County)
- Lake Shore Drive over Lawrence Ave (Cook County)
- Poplar Street Bridge (St. Claire County)
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