A vital bridge in downtown Chicago became immobilized in its raised position for over four hours on Wednesday, a delay attributed to extreme heat causing its components to expand. The DuSable Lake Shore Drive bridge, which spans the Chicago River at Grand Avenue, malfunctioned around 10 a.m. during a planned lift to permit a boat's passage.
City crews, with assistance from the Chicago Fire Department, worked to cool the bridge and make the necessary adjustments for it to close. The bridge eventually reopened to traffic shortly before 2:30 p.m. According to Erica Schroeder, a spokesperson for the Chicago Department of Transportation, the high temperatures caused bridge components to expand to a point where the two leaves could not fully retract.
The incident occurred amidst a severe heatwave affecting Chicago, prompting the National Weather Service to issue warnings for dangerous heat on consecutive days. The prolonged closure of the bridge resulted in considerable traffic congestion in the downtown area, as motorists were rerouted to alternative paths.