Adams Street Bridge To Close For Rehab Project
CHICAGO (CBS) -- In less than two weeks, city officials will close the Adams Street Bridge to vehicles for more than a year.
The Chicago Department of Transportation said the bridge's roadway will close for 13 months starting Jan. 25, but will remain open to pedestrians during the project, except for two month-long closures, and intermittent night and weekend closures.
Thanks to its proximity to Union Station, the bridge has one of the highest pedestrian traffic counts in the city.
CDOT said it is closing the bridge to allow for reconstruction of an existing viaduct over the Union Station railroad tracks, and to improve traffic signals, drainage, and other features of the intersection of Adams and Canal streets.
The city planned to set up detours for vehicles that use the bridge, including bicycles. Westbound traffic will be detoured to Wacker Drive, and then south to Van Buren or north to Madison to continue west across the river. Once west of the river, Van Buren traffic will use Jefferson to get back to Adams Street, and Madison traffic will use Clinton to get back to Adams.
Seven CTA bus routes – the #1 Bronzeville/Union Station, #7 Harrison, #28 Stony Island, #121 Union/Streeterville Express, #126 Jackson, #151 Sheridan, and #156 LaSalle – also will be affected. In most cases, buses will be rerouted to Van Buren Street via Wacker Drive.
Two new pick-up/drop-off areas for Union Station passengers will be installed on the curbs of Jackson Boulevard and Adams Street, between Clinton and Canal streets.