The bridge over the Chicago River at Chicago Avenue will be fully closed to traffic this weekend to allow Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) crews to make needed structural repairs.

The Chicago Avenue Bridge will be fully closed to traffic from Friday, April 12, 2013 at 10:00 p.m. until Monday, April 15, 2013 at 5:00 a.m.

Pedestrians may still cross the bridge on the south sidewalk.  Vehicular traffic is to be detoured as follows:

Eastbound Detour

• Buses, cars and bicycles: Chicago Avenue east to Halsted Street; Halsted north to Division Street; Division east to Larrabee Street; Larrabee south to Chicago.
• Trucks: Chicago east to Halsted; Halsted north to Division; Division east to Orleans Street; Orleans south to Chicago.

Westbound Detour

• Buses, cars and bicycles: Chicago west to Larrabee; Larrabee north to Division; Division west to Halsted; Halsted south to Chicago.
• Trucks: Chicago west to Orleans; Orleans north to Division; Division west to Halsted; Halsted south to Chicago.

Since late February, CDOT engineers have been performing repairs to the Chicago Avenue Bridge including: repairs to the floor beams and truss in the movable span; anchor columns shoring; sidewalk framing and concrete repairs; and manhole framing repairs in the fixed spans.

The maintenance project costs about $540,000, which is being funded by the Chicago/Kingsbury Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District.   Work is expected to be complete by April 25th.