Chicago’s Halsted Street and River West Bridge Projects Just Got Updated Completion Dates

The Chicago Avenue-Halsted Street intersection, looking north. Photo by Chicago YIMBY

RIVER WEST—Anyone who has tried driving, walking or taking a bus through Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street lately knows how disruptive construction has become.

Now there is a clearer timeline for when parts of that disruption could finally ease.

New aerial photographs published October 19 show major progress on both the Halsted Street Viaduct reconstruction and replacement of the Chicago Avenue Bridge over the North Branch of the Chicago River. More importantly, the latest project schedule now separates their expected completion dates.

The Halsted Street Viaduct is expected to finish in December 2026, while completion of the Chicago Avenue Bridge has shifted to spring 2027. Earlier updates had generally pointed toward the end of 2026 for the combined project.

For River West residents, and for people traveling between West Loop, Fulton Market, West Town, Goose Island and River North, that means construction may start easing in stages rather than disappearing all at once.

What’s Actually Being Rebuilt at Chicago and Halsted?

This is much more than a resurfacing project.

The Chicago Department of Transportation is replacing the Chicago Avenue bridge over the river with a permanent tied-arch bridge and completely rebuilding the elevated Halsted Street Viaduct around the Chicago Avenue intersection. The project also includes a riverwalk connection beneath the new bridge, protected bike lanes on Halsted, dedicated CTA bus lanes on Chicago Avenue, upgraded traffic signals, new lighting and landscaping.

The Chicago Avenue-Halsted Street intersection, looking north. Photo by Chicago YIMBY

Recent aerial views show substantial portions of the rebuilt Halsted structure already in place. At the river, crews are continuing work on the new bridge piers and connections where Chicago Avenue eventually will cross the North Branch again.

That difference in visible progress helps explain the latest schedule.

Halsted is now expected to reach completion first, in December. The Chicago Avenue crossing will require additional work into spring 2027.

The Current Detours Still Matter for Everyday Trips

Until those streets reopen, the practical issue is getting around the construction.

Halsted has been closed through the work zone since 2025, while Chicago Avenue is also closed at the river. The result is that drivers who once moved directly through the Chicago-Halsted intersection are being pushed toward surrounding corridors such as Grand Avenue, Division Street, Milwaukee Avenue, Orleans Street and Wells Street.

CTA riders are affected too.

Current service changes include:

#8 Halsted: buses are temporarily rerouted via Halsted, Division, Elston, Milwaukee and Halsted, with CTA currently listing the reroute through December 25, 2026.
#66 Chicago: eastbound buses are operating via Chicago, Milwaukee, Grand, Orleans and back to Chicago, while westbound buses use Chicago, Wells, Grand, Milwaukee and Chicago. CTA currently lists that reroute as continuing until further notice.

For someone commuting between the West Loop and areas north of Chicago Avenue, that can translate into longer trips even when the destination is geographically close.

The simplest advice remains the most practical: check CTA alerts before leaving and give yourself additional time if your trip normally uses Halsted or Chicago Avenue through River West.

Why the December Halsted Date Matters

Reopening Halsted would restore an important north-south connection.

Halsted connects Fulton Market and the West Loop with River West, Goose Island and neighborhoods farther north. The viaduct closure has made what should be relatively simple local trips more complicated by forcing traffic and buses onto parallel streets.

If the December 2026 completion target holds, that could restore one of those connections before work on Chicago Avenue itself is complete.

It also comes as this part of the North Branch is adding substantially more activity.

Construction is underway on the first 464-apartment tower at Halsted Pointe, while the Bally’s Chicago development is rising across the river. Those projects mean the streets around Chicago and Halsted will eventually be handling more residents, workers, visitors and pedestrians than they did when the reconstruction began.

The new Halsted design therefore matters for more than clearing a construction detour. Protected bike infrastructure, wider pedestrian areas and rebuilt intersections will become part of how a rapidly changing River West and Goose Island area functions once the surrounding developments open.

Chicago Avenue Will Take Longer

The less convenient update is the Chicago Avenue Bridge.

Its expected completion is now spring 2027, extending the disruption beyond the earlier year-end target. Chicago YIMBY reported the revised schedule after checking the latest CDOT project information with assistance from the 42nd Ward office.

The new bridge will replace the temporary crossing that had been in place since 2018. Plans call for a wider permanent tied-arch structure with a riverwalk connection passing underneath, creating both a transportation link and another piece of public riverfront infrastructure.

Until that crossing returns, east-west trips through River West will continue to require detours.

For residents west of the river traveling toward River North or Streeterville, and for drivers coming from Downtown toward West Town, the closure can add time to trips that previously used Chicago Avenue as a direct route.

What This Means for River West and West Loop Buyers

Infrastructure construction is easy to overlook when touring a property, especially if you are visiting on a quiet weekend.

But projects like this can have an immediate impact on daily life.

A buyer considering River West, West Loop or the northern edge of Fulton Market should understand which streets are temporarily closed, how buses are operating and whether their commute depends on a route currently under construction.

At the same time, temporary conditions should be separated from the permanent infrastructure being built.

The traffic barriers and detours are temporary. The rebuilt viaduct, protected bike lanes, bus-priority infrastructure, new bridge and riverwalk connections are intended to remain.

That does not mean buyers should assume these projects will raise nearby home values.

It means they should understand how getting around the neighborhood could look different after construction ends.

For someone evaluating a condo or apartment near Halsted, Chicago Avenue or the river, that distinction matters far more than simply seeing orange barriers during a showing.

Two Milestones to Watch Next

The latest schedule gives residents two dates to keep an eye on:

December 2026 for the Halsted Street Viaduct, followed by spring 2027 for the Chicago Avenue Bridge.

Construction schedules can still change, particularly on complicated bridge projects, so those should be treated as current targets rather than guarantees.

But the October aerial photographs show something important.

After more than a year of major disruption, the rebuilt street network around Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street is starting to take recognizable shape.

For River West residents, the next question is no longer simply when construction will end.

It is which connection comes back first, and how much easier everyday trips become when it does.

Buying or Selling Around River West or the West Loop?

Large infrastructure projects can affect commutes, pedestrian routes, nearby construction and how individual blocks function day to day.

The Cory Tanzer Group at Option Premier helps buyers and sellers evaluate not only current property values, but also the development and infrastructure changes affecting West Loop, River West, Fulton Market and surrounding Downtown Chicago neighborhoods.

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