CTA Reroutes 3 Routes for Bridge Maintenance
Three CTA bus routes detour overnight Thursday for Roosevelt Bridge maintenance work
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CTA Reroutes 3 Bus Routes for Bridge Work
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Three Chicago bus routes will detour around the Roosevelt Bridge overnight Thursday into Friday morning as crews perform maintenance work. The Chicago Transit Authority will reroute routes #12 Roosevelt, #18 16th/18th, and #N62 Archer starting Thursday, April 16 at 11:59 PM through Friday, April 17 at 5:00 AM, officials said. The temporary changes affect buses traveling over the Chicago River during the roughly five-hour maintenance window.
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The Roosevelt Bridge carries significant bus traffic between Chicago's Near West Side and South Loop neighborhoods, making overnight maintenance windows the least disruptive option for repairs. Transit agencies typically schedule bridge work during low-ridership periods to minimize passenger impact while maintaining critical infrastructure. The CTA didn't specify what type of maintenance work crews will perform on the bridge. Officials said the work requires complete closure of the bridge to bus traffic during the scheduled period.
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Eastbound buses will detour via Roosevelt, Canal, Jackson, and Clark before resuming normal routing on Roosevelt, according to the transit agency. Westbound buses will operate via Roosevelt, Clark, Harrison, Dearborn, Van Buren, and Canal before returning to regular routes. The detours add several blocks to normal routing through downtown Chicago streets. Officials advised passengers to allow extra travel time during the maintenance period, though they didn't estimate how much additional time the detours might add to trips.
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The reroute takes effect at 11:59 PM Thursday and continues until 5:00 AM Friday, covering the overnight period when ridership is typically lowest. The #N62 Archer operates as an owl service providing late-night and early-morning connections. Officials said buses will return to normal routing once the maintenance window closes Friday morning. The CTA didn't announce whether additional maintenance work on the Roosevelt Bridge is planned for future dates.
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Riders on affected routes should plan for longer travel times and possible schedule adjustments during the overnight maintenance period. The CTA said passengers can check for real-time service updates and route information. Moovit provides current bus locations and detour information for CTA routes throughout Chicago. Officials encouraged riders to sign up for CTA service alerts to receive notifications about future route changes and maintenance work.
