Too hot to handle: Lake Shore Drive bridge gets stuck open

Chicago drivers got an unexpected lesson in the power of extreme heat Wednesday when the DuSable Lake Shore Drive bridge over the Chicago River became stuck in the raised position, creating a massive traffic headache near Navy Pier.

The bridge was raised around 10 a.m. for a regularly scheduled summer bridge lift, allowing the Spirit of Chicago cruise ship to pass from Lake Michigan into the river. But when the lift was over, the bridge would not fully come back down.

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The Chicago Department of Transportation blamed a “heat-related issue” for the problem and sent crews to work on getting the bridge safely closed. With temperatures climbing and the heat index expected to reach 100 to 110 degrees, the timing was particularly challenging.

Then came one of the more unusual scenes of the day: Chicago Fire Department boats were brought in and began spraying water onto the bridge in an effort to cool the structure and help get it moving again. The water was essentially being used as a giant cooling system for the overheated bridge components. 

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The malfunction quickly brought traffic on DuSable Lake Shore Drive to a standstill. Northbound traffic was being diverted at Jackson, while southbound traffic was being diverted at Grand. Drivers were urged to avoid the area and use alternate routes. 

The situation remained complicated around noon. The bridge was raised again for the return passage of the Spirit of Chicago, and officials subsequently began testing its ability to open and close. At one point, it appeared to close completely around 12:15 p.m., but that attempt was unsuccessful and the bridge was lifted again. 

So, is the bridge open now?

As of the latest reports available Wednesday afternoon, crews were still working to safely get the bridge fully closed and restore traffic. Officials had successfully tested the bridge's opening and closing, but there was not yet confirmation that DuSable Lake Shore Drive had reopened to motorists. 

The incident comes as Chicago remains under a heat advisory, with temperatures reaching about 90 degrees by early afternoon. The extreme conditions appear to have been enough to affect the bridge's operation, turning what was supposed to be a routine morning river lift into a major transportation problem. 

The bridge, which carries traffic over the Chicago River just west of Navy Pier, has had problems before. Federal inspection records list it in poor condition, and it was closed for more than a day in 2019 after inspectors discovered cracked beam joints. 

And if you happened to see fire boats spraying a city bridge with water Wednesday, no, you weren't imagining it. Chicago was literally trying to cool its way out of a traffic jam.

Sources: CBS Chicago report · NBC Chicago report · Chicago Sun-Times report