New Halsted Street Bridge Finished at Byrne Interchange, Multimodal Travel, Neighborhood Connectivity Enhanced

CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced today that the new Halsted Street bridge, part of the reconstruction of the Jane Byrne Interchange, is complete. The new bridge improves community connectivity and mobility in the area by adding bike lanes, wider sidewalks and improved access to transit.

“This new bridge is a great example of our vision for a multimodal transportation system that truly connects our communities and neighborhoods,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn. “Whether you choose to drive, bike, walk, or use public transit, Halsted Street gives you an option. It improves the quality of life for residents, students, business owners and commuters.”

The bridge features a steel canopy at the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) UIC-Halsted Blue Line station and a mid-block traffic signal for safe access between the bus stop on the east side of Halsted Street and the station entrance to the west.

The project, which began in March 2014, included the complete removal and replacement of the existing Halsted Street bridge.

The new bridge follows earlier IDOT work on the nearby Morgan Street and Peoria Street bridges that also serve CTA’s UIC-Halsted station, which provided nearly 1.7 million rides last year. Improvements included a new elevator at the Peoria Street entrance to the UIC-Halsted station and additional station improvements.

The Halsted Street bridge is the final bridge over the Eisenhower to be completed as part of the ongoing Jane Byrne Interchange project. The project can now move into the next phase: Widening the Eisenhower at the interchange to increase capacity and improve traffic flow. For more information and to view a live camera feed of the work zone, visit www.circleinterchange.org.