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Chicago motorists are in for a few temporary detours over the next couple weeks as the city prepares for one of its annual fall traditions: returning tall-masted boats from Lake Michigan to their winter harbors along the Chicago River. To facilitate critical maintenance testing and balancing ahead of the boat runs, the Chicago Department of Transportation has announced major temporary closures for two key downtown crossings: the DuSable Lake Shore Drive Bridge and the State Street Bridge.
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DuSable Lake Shore Drive Bridge: Overnight shutdown
Drivers on Chicago’s iconic lakefront highway should plan for a total overnight shutdown of the DuSable Lake Shore Drive Bridge. Following an initial maintenance closure on September 10, crews are scheduling another full closure in both directions from 10pm on Tuesday, September 15, through 5am on Wednesday, September 16.
To keep traffic moving across the Chicago River, CDOT has designated clear detour routes:
Northbound: Exit DuSable Lake Shore Drive to Wacker Drive, proceed to Columbus Drive, take Illinois Street and re-enter northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
Southbound: Exit to Grand Avenue, head south on Columbus Drive, follow Wacker Drive and reconnect with southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
State Street Bridge: Midday maintenance
Concurrently, the State Street Bridge faces midday closures on four consecutive days, shutting down to vehicles and pedestrians daily from 9am to 2:30pm this Monday through Thursday. This work comes just months after the bridge reopened in March following nearly a year-long hiatus for emergency steel and structural repairs that began in April 2025.
During these midday work windows, drivers must utilize local detours:
Northbound: Detour west on Wacker Drive, north on Dearborn Street and east on Kinzie Street to rejoin State Street.
Southbound: Detour west on Kinzie Street, south on Wells Street and east on Washington Street back to State Street.
While the closures present short-term inconveniences, the balancing and prep work are essential to ensure the historic bascule bridges lift smoothly when the fall boat runs officially begin.