The city will start raising the Main and South branch bridges on the Chicago River on September 30, 2026. The lifts are intended to let sailboats and other recreational vessels reach winter storage sites, and they may cause delays for morning commuters.
Commuters, sailboat owners, and other recreational boat operators are the groups directly affected by the operation. Each fall, the bridge lifts are a routine part of moving vessels to storage, and the timing can slow traffic during peak travel periods.