Work on new 35th Street bridge means Lake Shore Drive detours starting Friday

Construction will tie up South Lake Shore Drive starting Friday night as crews work on a new pedestrian bridge at 35th Street.

Three of the four lanes will be closed between 31st street and Oakwood (39th Street) starting at 8 p.m. Friday, according to the city’s Department of Transportation.

A fourth lane will be closed intermittently, bringing traffic to a complete halt for 15 minutes at a time as beams for the bridge are hoisted into place, transit officials said.

The closures will last until noon Saturday. However, the department cautioned that closures may be pushed back to Saturday night into Sunday in case of rain or other problems.

During the lane closures, workers will be installing a temporary steel frame that will form the concrete structure for the new bridge, officials said.

The bridge will span Lake Shore Drive at 35th Street in the Bronzeville neighborhood, officials said. It will be fully ADA accessible, and replace a deteriorated structure that required people to climb stairs.

Bicyclists and pedestrians will be able to use the new bridge when it opens in summer 2016.

During this weekend’s construction, a posted detour will direct drivers onto King Drive, transit officials said. Drivers should seek alternate routes.