After being snowed out, boating season begins with first bridge lifts of spring

Following a dismal week of late-season snow, a sure sign of spring arrived Saturday morning as the city conducted its first bridge lifts along the Chicago River to allow boaters to bring their vessels to dock on Lake Michigan.

The first lifts of the season had initially been set for Wednesday, but the city’s sloppy, cold weather put a damper on boaters’ plans, according to the Dept. of Transportation.

Every spring and fall, workers raise the movable bridges along the Main and South Branches of the river twice weekly — on Saturdays and Wednesdays — to accommodate recreational boats traveling to and from their storage yards.

During these “boat runs,” the bridges — all 27 between Ashland and Lake Shore Drive — are raised sequentially, typically one at a time. Each bridge lift takes an average of 8-12 minutes.

Newspapers record history, like the first bridge lift of 2018, Saturday, April 21.| James Foster/For the Sun-Times

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The first bridge lift of 2018, Saturday, April 21st, 2018. | James Foster/For the Sun-Times

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The first bridge lift of 2018, Saturday, April 21st, 2018. | James Foster/For the Sun-Times

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The first bridge lift of 2018, Saturday, April 21st, 2018. | James Foster/For the Sun-Times

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The first bridge lift of 2018, Saturday, April 21st, 2018. | James Foster/For the Sun-Times

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The first bridge lift of 2018, Saturday, April 21st, 2018. | James Foster/For the Sun-Times

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The first bridge lift of 2018, Saturday, April 21st, 2018. | James Foster/For the Sun-Times

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The first bridge lift of 2018, Saturday, April 21st, 2018. | James Foster/For the Sun-Times

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Barring nasty weather, additional bridge lifts are scheduled through the end of June:

·Wednesday, April 25 at 9:30 a.m.

·Saturday, April 28 at 8:00 a.m.

·Wednesday, May 2 at 9:30 a.m.

·Saturday, May 5 at 8:00 a.m.

·Wednesday, May 9 at 9:30 a.m.

·Saturday, May 12 at 8:00 a.m.

·Wednesday, May 16 at 9:30 a.m.

·Saturday, May 19 at 8:00 a.m.

·Wednesday, May 23 at 9:30 a.m.

·Wednesday, May 30 at 9:30 a.m.

·Saturday, June 2 at 8:00 a.m.

·Wednesday, June 6 at 9:30 a.m.

·Saturday, June 9 at 8:00 a.m.

·Wednesday, June 13 at 9:30 a.m.

·Saturday, June 16 at 8:00 a.m.

·Wednesday, June 20 at 9:30 a.m.

·Saturday, June 23 at 8:00 a.m.

·Wednesday, June 27 at 9:30 a.m.

·Saturday, June 30 at 8:00 a.m.