The DuSable Drawbridge over the Chicago River is a popular tourist attraction and one of the most interesting historical landmarks.

Built in 1920, the bridge measures 122 metres in length, but the clearance under the bridge is only 4.9 metres. This would have been a significant restriction for boats traveling deeper into downtown on the Chicago River, so the decision was made to make the bridge a drawbridge.

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Bridge lifting times

Because the bridge is located right downtown on one of the main streets with very heavy traffic, lifting times are always fixed about 3 months in advance.

Typically, the bridge is raised at 9:00 am on Wednesdays and 8:00 am on Saturdays for approximately 45-60 minutes.

Always check the chicago.gov website for current and accurate times.

How to get there

The DuSable Bridge sits right on the banks of the Chicago River in Downtown near the Wrigley Building.

Metro - Grand station approx. 300 metres (Red Line) or State/Lake station approx. 600 metres (Red, Brown, Orange, Pink, Purple Lines)
Buses - Michigan/Hubbard stop right at the entrance to the building (lines 2, 3, 10, 146, 147, 151)