By Townhall Chicago News Staff
The CTA restored normal Green and Pink line service at 4 a.m. Thursday after the Chicago Department of Transportation completed installation of a new west leaf on the 110-year-old Lake Street Bascule Bridge, the agencies announced Wednesday.
The milestone ends weeks of service disruptions for West Side and Loop commuters who faced reroutes and shuttle buses while crews replaced the aging bridge component over the Chicago River.
The new, prefabricated west leaf was assembled off-site and transported up the Chicago River by barge, according to a joint news release from CDOT and the CTA. Crews removed the existing leaf, positioned and installed the replacement, rebuilt CTA tracks and walkways, reconnected power and signal systems and ran test trains before regular service resumed.
“CDOT thanks riders for their patience throughout the disruption as crews completed this critical bridge work,” the release said. CDOT and CTA coordinated throughout the project, with the CTA using the planned service interruption to complete additional repairs at the Loop and Lake Junction over the weekend, the release said.
Built in 1916, the Lake Street Bridge is a double-deck, double-leaf movable bridge that accommodates river traffic. Its lower level carries vehicles, pedestrians and CTA buses. Its upper level carries Green and Pink line trains. The two-year rehabilitation project will fully restore the structure while maintaining its historic character, according to CDOT.
The bridge closure had been announced Oct. 6, with Green and Pink line service changes beginning at 4 a.m. Oct. 13. CDOT initially expected the work to wrap up sooner but announced a two-day extension on Oct. 25, pushing the completion to this week.
Green Line service connects the South and West sides to the Loop. The Pink Line serves the Cermak branch through neighborhoods including Pilsen and Lawndale. Both lines share track over the Lake Street Bridge, making the bridge’s condition critical to daily operations for tens of thousands of riders.
The CTA also used the service interruption period to complete track renewal and interlocking work at the Wells and Lake junction, the system’s largest junction, over the weekend of Oct. 24-26, according to a separate CTA news release. That work affected Brown, Green, Orange and Pink line service in the Loop.
The bridge’s lower level remains closed to vehicles and pedestrians while rehabilitation continues. Installation of the bridge’s east leaf is planned for spring 2027, which will require a similar temporary shutdown of Green and Pink line service. CDOT and CTA said they will share details about timing and anticipated impacts as the work approaches.
The full bridge rehabilitation is expected to be complete in January 2028, according to CDOT.
