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Helicopter Lift:
750 N Dearborn
On Saturday, December 20, a helicopter lift will take place at 9am at 750 N Dearborn. The lift will require several surrounding streets to be closed for the 2-hour lift. From 9-11am on 12/20, the following streets will be closed for the safety of motorists and pedestrians:
- Chicago Ave from State St to Clark St
- Dearborn St from Superior St to Chestnut St
- Superior St from Clark St to Dearborn St
Northbound traffic on Dearborn will be rerouted eastbound onto Superior to State St. CPD and traffic aides will be in place to redirect traffic.
Canal St Reconstruction
On December 15, contractors began work on the Canal St reconstruction project. During Phase 1 of the project, the east half of Canal St between Adams and Madison will be blocked, and parking on Canal between Adams and Madison will be prohibited. Two lanes on the west side of Canal St will be maintained for northbound traffic. These closures will last until late 2026. Pedestrian traffic will be maintained on the west side of Canal St. Taxis and rideshares will be directed to follow the guidelines listed here. Please click here for a flyer of the impact to vehicle and pedestrian access, and click here for a flyer of the affected CTA bus routes.
Ohio / Ontario Feeder Ramp Project Begins Stage 3
As reported in a previous Reilly Report, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has begun stage 3 of its work on the Ohio / Ontario Street Feeder Ramps. IDOT's press release on these closures can be found here.
Bridge Construction Updates
As reported in a past Reilly Report, construction continues on several downtown bridges, and Alderman Reilly has expressed his frustration with CDOT for a lack of coordination and planning. Traffic aides have been placed on Kingsbury at Chicago, Grand, and Erie to ease congestion. Stay tuned for future updates regarding traffic aides, detours, and closures.
The State Street Bridge project is estimated to be completed by early 2026, the approximate completion date for the Chicago Avenue Bridge is January 2027, and the Lake Street Bridge will be completed by the end of February 2028.
River North CTA Bus Reroutes and Navy Pier Schedule Revision
Due to excessive congestion in River North, the westbound #66 bus no longer stops at Hudson or Kingsbury on Chicago Ave. This schedule matches that of the eastbound #66 bus. Additionally, the #66 and #8 buses will now be rerouted southbound via Wells St instead of Kingsbury St to access Grand Ave from Chicago Ave.
In response to resident concerns and at Alderman Reilly’s request, the first westbound CTA #124 bus will now depart Navy Pier at 8:10am on weekdays. This change will go into effect on December 21.
Lake Street Bascule Bridge Construction Update
The north-south crosswalk on the west side of Lake St and Wacker Dr has been fully closed and will remain closed for the duration of the project. Pedestrian traffic at this intersection will still be allowed to cross using a protected lane. During all work, CTA Green and Pink lines will operate normally, except for two 12-day planned closures in Fall 2026 and Spring 2027. The work on the Lake Street Bascule Bridge is expected to be completed by the end of February 2028. For the detour map, click here (note: the Canal St detour listed is no longer in effect as of Dec. 2025).
State / Lake CTA Station Upgrade
CDOT and CTA continue work to transform the 108-year-old CTA train station at State & Lake. The work will affect the CTA bus routes listed here. Lake St has been reduced to one lane at the site, and State St has been reduced to one lane in each direction between Wacker Dr and Randolph St. The new station is expected to be finished in 2029.
114 E Oak Façade Work
A partial sidewalk closure is in place for construction on the façade at 114 E Oak. 8 feet of sidewalk clearance will be maintained, and the barricades around the construction site will be removed by February 2026.
830 N Michigan Façade Work
Contractors are completing work on the façade at 830 N Michigan Ave. The exterior work is scheduled to be completed by the end of December. The full sidewalk will be opened as soon as the project is completed.
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