Traffic is a big problem for many commuters trying to get around downtown Chicago who often face gridlock during rush hour.
“A nightmare, an absolute nightmare,” said David Liedman, who commutes into the city from the northern suburbs.
“It’s horrible. I’m tired. This traffic is a mess,” said Jasira, a commuter who travels within the city.
“Awful, absolutely awful,” Andy, another city commuter, told NBC Chicago.
There are four East-West bridges currently closed in Chicago: the Lake Street bridge, which is closed through January 2028; the Cortland Street bridge, closed until 2027; the Chicago Avenue bridge, closed until December 2026; and the State Street bridge, which was scheduled to reopen by Thanksgiving but was postponed until 2026.
“During rush hour in the evenings, downtown is unnavigable, and traffic is at a standstill. And it’s because the Department of Transportation (CDOT) didn’t stagger the closures of these bridges like they typically do. They’re doing them all at once, and I think that could have been avoided,” said 42nd Ward Ald. Brendan Reilly.
Reilly said Chicago’s City Council did approve funding for bridge repairs, which is paid for through federal, state and local dollars. When the work gets done, however, becomes a local control issue.
Reilly acknowledged the repairs are imperative, with some of the bridges are over 100 years old, but he said his office didn’t learn of the timing of the work until after it had already started, calling the concurrent closures “100% inexcusable and indefensible” in a post on X.
“Unfortunately, CDOT made the unilateral decision, on their own without conferring with local Aldermen or other stakeholders, that they should close all these bridges at once rather than staggering that work over time to allow for some East-West travel during rush hour,” Reilly said.
In a statement, CDOT told NBC 5 Responds, “Given their age and condition, the significant maintenance required is a proactive measure that prioritizes resident safety.”
“While we recognize the inconvenience of concurrent closures, these projects have been in continuous development for years, including detailed design work, securing funding, and conducting public outreach. Delaying any would have pushed critical safety work further into the future,” the department said in a statement.
To ease congestion, CDOT said it monitors traffic conditions and makes real time adjustments to improve traffic flow. It has implemented parking restrictions, enhanced signage and rerouting strategies. The department also worked with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) to reroute several buses to reduce congestion on detour routes.
CDOT said it “has maintained ongoing coordination with aldermen and local communities regarding these closures,” and “held public meetings, ward-level coordination, and the publication of detour routes were conducted in advance.”
In a letter to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, several aldermen whose districts are impacted by the closures urged his administration to prioritize reopening the bridges.
In statements to NBC 5 Responds, multiple aldermen spoke out on the issue.
Ald. Bill Conway (34th Ward) said in part that his office “received advanced notice about the Lake Street Bridge work and held virtual community meetings with CDOT,” but noted “the maddening gridlock downtown could have been eased or avoided if these overlapping projects had been staggered.”
“The bridges are in need of repair, but the lack of planning is unacceptable,” Conway said.
Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd Ward) said the full scope of the closures was not disclosed ahead of time, and “what we did in response, once it hit all at once, was to coordinate with colleagues to figure out a detour plan and safety for pedestrians and traffic use throughout the area.”
Ald. Timmy Knudsen (43rd Ward) said his office will “continue pushing for clearer communication, smarter coordination, and the fastest, safe timeline possible to get these bridges reopened.”
Reilly called the traffic a “cautionary tale, that can’t happen again.”
“Local alderman are here to provide advice and counsel to the department to help them do these things better. They need to engage with local stakeholders, local residents, [and] their elected officials months before they go ahead and set these projects in motion, so people can plan accordingly,” he said.
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