Cortland Street Bridge sidewalk to remain open for now as city looks into new issues amid ongoing repairs

Traffic headaches are set to continue for Near North Side drivers, but pedestrians and cyclists are getting some good news about ongoing bridge closures that have led to heavy congestion on surrounding roadways, including one that's gaining some more notoriety.

Afternoon rush hour on the Cortland Street Bridge is noticeably busy for those who frequently ride on it or walk, but it has been closed to car traffic since last fall, with only one side open for pedestrians, bikes, and scooters.

"It's kind of turning into 290 right now with all these pedestrians and bikers kind of going through it. So, I can't wait for it to get done so that we can add more flow of traffic," said Dan Houlihan, of Wicker Park, who is among those who regularly use the bridge.

In a recent letter to Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd), the Chicago Department of Transportation said inspections of the bridge have turned up additional issues not originally included in the planned repair of the bridge, and prompted a need for further assessment, which is expected to be completed this month.

The one sidewalk on the bridge will remain open for now, welcome news for users like Houlihan, as it was originally set to close over the winter, but Houlihan has a plea for city officials.

"Get it done as quickly as possible. I know you've got a lot of other things going on with the stadium, but us in Wicker Park and Bucktown would really appreciate it. So, don't think past it," he said.

The closure of the Cortland Street bridge and two other bridges over the Chicago River at Lake Street and Chicago Avenue have put pressure elsewhere on the Near North Side, like busy North Avenue.

"Ever since the bridges – a few of them – have been under construction, it's been pretty wild. It's backed up a lot of times past Ashland," said Graham Bailey, of Bucktown.

Drivers like Bailey said the ongoing bridge closures contribute to an already busy roadway. North Avenue was recently named the most passive-aggressive road in Illinois, and number 8 in the country, according to a survey by American River Wellness, a trucking support company.

"There's people trying to trade lanes, and it does get pretty narrow as well. So, yeah, a lot of horns honking, a lot of red lights being orange lights as they call them," Bailey said.

With no clear end date for bridge closures, drivers said they'll just have to endure the congestion and passive-aggressiveness.

"It's a little rough right now. Division is a mess as well," Bailey said.