Wells Bridge Reopens, Ending Brown Line Rerouting

Frustrated Brown Line riders can rest assured—at least for now—that recent train rerouting will no longer be making them late to appointments, meetings and other engagements.

Service to the Chicago Transit Authority Brown and Purple lines resumed early Monday over the Wells Street bridge, as city workers completed the first phase of the historic bridge's reconstruction. The Wells Street Bridge extends over the Chicago River. Built in the 1920s, it's east of the Franklin Street Bridge and southeast of the Merchandise Mart, connecting the Near North Side with The Loop.

"Since 10 p.m. Friday, March 1, crews have been working around the clock to replace the south half of the 91-year-old Wells Bridge ..." CTA officials wrote in a statement released Monday.

The CTA has been simultaneously replacing track and signals just north and south of the bridge, including the intersection of Lake and Wells Streets known as Tower 18—the busiest rail junction in the CTA system. 

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“In nine days, the first portion of this project is complete, and the city takes another huge step forward in revitalizing its infrastructure for the future,” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said, joining CTA President Forrest Claypool and CDOT Commissioner Gabe Klein shortly after CTA trains began crossing the newly constructed bridge section. “Our infrastructure is the lifeblood of our city and this project is a great example of the value of investing in our infrastructure to help drive our economy and keep our people moving.” 

The CTA and Chicago Department of Transportation closely coordinated the schedule and phasing of the two projects. Doing so saved taxpayers $500,000, officials said, and reduced the duration of the project by eight days. For the last nine days, Brown and Purple Line trains that normally travel over the Wells Bridge were rerouted. 

“We appreciate the patience of our riders during the project,” Claypool said, noting that the CTA put in place extensive alternative service to make sure customers had as many commuting options as possible. 

CTA and CDOT officials said the positive experiences of this project will be applied to Phase 2, set to be under way between April 26 and May 6. 

As with the first phase, CTA plans the same alternative service and will launch another extensive outreach effort prior to the start of work.

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