Lane closures on Columbus Drive viaduct begin Monday

Lane closures on the Columbus Drive viaduct between Wacker Drive and Illinois Street just north of the Chicago River are scheduled to begin Monday for road maintenance.

Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction after the morning rush hour Monday, according to a statement from the Chicago Department of Transportation. Repair work will continue through March 28.

The majority of the work will be structural repairs below the viaduct, which will include repairs below the deck and on the street surface, according to the statement.

During the construction, the work zone will appear to be empty at times as work is done under the bridge, but lane closures are scheduled to reduce weight on the temporary structural supports, according to the statement.

This bridge repair is just north of another bridge construction project on Columbus over the Millennium Park Garage, which has closed down two lanes in both directions on Columbus Drive between Randolph and Monroe. This project is expected to be “substantially completed” by the end of the month, according to the statement.

During construction, drivers can use north/south alternates including Lake Shore Drive, Michigan and Wabash avenues, according to the statement.