Heat causes malfunctions on 2 Chicago bridges downtown, Far South Side, CDOT says

Heat index over 100 forecast for Chicago area Wednesday and Thursday

ByJohn Garcia, Eric Horng, and ABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo

Thursday, September 3, 2026 3:59AM

Heat causes malfunctions on Chicago bridges downtown, South Side: CDOT

The DuSable Lake Shore Drive Bridge and the Torrence Avenue Bridge malfunctioned due to a heat index over 100 degrees for the Chicago area Wednesday.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago officials say extreme heat is to blame for the DuSable Lake Shore Drive bridge being stuck in the raised position, creating major traffic delays for hours for thousands of drivers downtown.

Later Wednesday evening, CDOT confirmed another heat-related issue was reported on the Torrence Avenue Bridge on the city's Far South Side.

A Heat Advisory was in effect for parts of the Chicago area from noon through 9 p.m. Wednesday. Another heat advisory will be in effect for parts of the area until 9 p.m. Thursday.

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According to the Chicago Department of Transportation, the DuSable Lake Shore Drivebridge was raised around 10 a.m. for a cruise boat and could not be returned to its original position afterward. The agency attributed the problem to "thermal expansion" of bridge components caused by the heat.

The closure stranded motorists on one of the city's busiest roadways, including Tomas Rodriguez, who spent more than an hour in traffic north of the bridge.

"Big inconvenience, and I'm sure a lot of other people felt that way. I can only imagine what parents must have felt if they had kids in the car or toddlers," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said the delay disrupted his workday.

"It was very inconvenient. I did not make my meeting this morning," he said.

In an effort to resolve the problem, the Chicago Fire Department used lake water to cool the bridge. However, the water temperature was in the mid-70s.

"This is, uh, very interesting. I haven't seen this like this before," one cyclist said.

Traffic on DuSable Lake Shore Drive reopened after the closure lasted about four and a half hours.

CDOT said it was required to raise the bridge after receiving a properly submitted request from the Spirit of Chicago cruise line.

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The incident has prompted calls for policy changes. Ald. Brian Hopkins, who serves on the City Council's transportation committee, said he wants to amend city code to give CDOT's commissioner greater authority to deny bridge lift requests during periods of extreme heat.

"We really have to do a better job balancing the needs of watercraft, which under federal maritime law do have priority, but you can't shut down a whole city because of it," Hopkins said.

The bridge's condition has also drawn renewed attention. Last year, the ABC7 I-Team reported that the DuSable Lake Shore Drive bridge was one of 10 Chicago River bridges identified in federal data and inspection reports as needing high-priority repairs. A 2024 IDOT inspection report detailed "moderate to heavy corrosion," although it remains unclear whether that played any role in the latest mishap.

Hopkins said the bridge requires significant investment but does not present an immediate safety concern.

"It's really not in a condition that we can rest easy. It's not unsafe, either, but it is due for a major overhaul," Hopkins said.

Hopkins also said CDOT crews had to be especially careful not to add strain to the bridge because of its condition, a factor he said may have contributed to the length of the closure.