Commuters faced headaches in multiple directions Wednesday as the Torrence Avenue Bridge got stuck in the raised position late Wednesday afternoon, just hours after the DuSable Lake Shore Drive bridge reopened following a similar occurrence.
The bridge — located over the Calumet River — was stuck for more than an hour, starting at 4:30 p.m., according to Erica Schroeder, director of public affairs for the Chicago Department of Transportation.
Schroeder confirmed the issue with the Torrence Avenue bridge this afternoon was heat-related.
“Thermal expansion caused by the high temperatures affected the bridge’s operation,” Schroeder explained.
CDOT crews responded to the scene and returned the bridge to its normal operating position, Schroeder said. The bridge reopened to traffic shortly after 5:30 p.m., she said.
The city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications confirmed via social media at 6:20 p.m. that the Torrence Avenue Bridge had been “stuck in the up position” and said hot weather caused the issue. The office urged drivers to use alternate routes.
The DuSable Lake Shore Drive bridge had become stuck open during a routine lift around 10 a.m., leaving it off-limits to drivers for more than four hours before returning to its original position.
A Chicago Fire Department boat could be seen spraying water on the structure, apparently to cool it down. Chicago was under a heat advisory Wednesday. The temperature had reached 90 degrees by early afternoon.