CTA Reroutes Bus 125 for Bridge Maintenance

CTA reroutes bus 125 around Lake Street bridge for maintenance through November 2027

CTA Reroutes Bus 125 for Lake Street Bridge Work

Chicago's bus route 125 Water Tower Express will detour around the Lake Street bridge starting October 6 as crews perform maintenance work over the Chicago River, the Chicago Transit Authority said. Northbound buses will use Jefferson, Washington, and Franklin streets before returning to their regular route on Orleans, while southbound service continues unchanged. The reroute affects one of the city's express routes connecting downtown with North Side neighborhoods.

Bridge Maintenance Drives Two-Year Detour

The Lake Street bridge reroute stems from scheduled maintenance work on the movable bridge spanning the Chicago River, transit officials said. The city's network of movable bridges requires regular maintenance to ensure safe operation for both vehicle and marine traffic. The CTA didn't specify what type of maintenance work the bridge requires or whether it'll remain open to other traffic during the project. Bridge maintenance projects in Chicago typically involve mechanical systems, structural repairs, or deck resurfacing work.

Detour Runs Through November 2027

The reroute takes effect Monday, October 6, 2025, at 9:00 AM and continues through Friday, November 26, 2027, according to the transit agency. Northbound route 125 buses will travel via Jefferson Street, then Washington Street, then Franklin Street before rejoining the regular route on Orleans Street. Southbound buses won't be affected and will continue operating on their normal path. Transit officials advised passengers to allow extra travel time during the two-year detour period, though they didn't estimate how much additional time trips might take.

Implementation Spans More Than Two Years

The 25-month reroute represents one of the longer-term service modifications currently affecting CTA bus routes. Multiple bus routes across the system have active alerts, transit officials said, though the agency didn't specify how many routes are affected or what other types of service changes are in place. The extended timeline suggests the bridge maintenance involves substantial work requiring prolonged access restrictions.

Riders Should Plan for Longer Trips

Route 125 passengers traveling northbound should expect modified routing through downtown Chicago for more than two years. The detour adds several turns to the regular route as buses navigate around the Lake Street bridge closure. Transit officials said riders can check for updates on the service modification, and Moovit provides real-time bus tracking and trip planning for CTA routes throughout the reroute period.