The State Street bridge in downtown Chicago will reopen to pedestrians and vehicles on Friday, following nearly a year of closure for emergency repairs, according to a March 27 announcement by the Chicago Department of Transportation.
The reopening marks the end of an extended project that was initially expected to finish in November but was delayed when additional steel repairs were discovered. The bridge had been closed since last April due to urgent maintenance needs.
Work on the State Street bridge included a complete rehabilitation of its center locks, replacement of the center break that damaged the roadway, and improvements ensuring better alignment between the bridge’s leaves. Key structural steel components at the center were also repaired or replaced, including floor beams, stringers, and bracing.
The State Street bridge is one of four bridges over the Chicago River—along with Lake Street, Chicago Avenue, and Cortland Street—that have been closed for maintenance projects. The Halsted Street Viaduct at Chicago Avenue has also been shut down as part of these efforts. Construction work on these other bridges began last year and is expected to continue from late 2026 until 2028.
City officials said they expect traffic flow downtown will improve as more infrastructure projects are completed.
