BRIDGES (10-40-410 et seq.)

Municipal Code of Chicago tit. 10, ch. 10-40, art. IV

in effect

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-410 Bridge opening authority.

10-40-410 Bridge opening authority. All movable bridges crossing any part of the harbor, including railroad bridges, shall be under the control of the commissioner of transportation, and he shall have power to order the opening and closing of the same at any time when in his judgment it is necessary to carry out the provisions of this Code. (Prior code § 38-43; Amend Coun. J. 12-11-91, p. 10832)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-420 Closed hours for bridges.

10-40-420 Closed hours for bridges. No bridge within the city, on any day of the week, excepting Sunday, shall be opened during the times herein specified: Across Ogden Slip at Outer Drive, across the main river and across the south branch of the Chicago River, from its junction with the main river south to and including W. Roosevelt Road, and across the north branch of the Chicago River at W. Kinzie Street, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. and on any day excepting Saturday between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and on Saturday between the hours of 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. and between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.; provided, however, that the Outer-Link Bridge across the main river shall be opened to permit the passage of passenger boats operating on a fixed schedule between 9:45 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Across the north branch of the Chicago River north of W. Kinzie Street to and including N. Halsted Street between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Across the south branch of the Chicago River south of W. Roosevelt Road to and including S. Halsted Street between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Across the north branch of the Chicago River north of N. Halsted Street and across the south branch of the Chicago River south of S. Halsted Street between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The provisions of this section shall not apply to bridges which have a clearance of less than 16 feet above Chicago City datum. Such bridges shall open at any time, except as hereinafter provided, to permit the passage of tugs and tug boats. (Prior code § 38-44)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-430 Time to remain open.

10-40-430 Time to remain open. During the hours between 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight, it shall be unlawful to keep open any bridge within the city for the purpose of permitting vessels to pass through the same for a longer period, at any one time, than ten minutes, at the expiration of which period it shall be the duty of the bridge tender or other person in charge of the bridge to display the proper signal and immediately close such bridge and keep it closed for fully ten minutes for such persons or vehicles as may be waiting to pass over, if so much time shall be required, when the said bridge shall again be opened (if necessary for vessels to pass) for a like period, and so on alternately (if necessary) during the hours last aforesaid; and in every instance where any such bridge shall be opened for the passage of any vessel, and closed before the expiration of ten minutes from the time of opening, said bridge shall then, in every such case, remain closed for fully ten minutes, if necessary, in order to allow all persons and vehicles waiting to pass over said bridge; provided, this section shall not be construed as being in conflict with the preceding section, nor as requiring the opening of bridges during the time specified in said section for the same to remain closed; provided further, that all vessels having passed through Michigan Avenue bridge going out previous to closed bridge hours, morning and evening, shall be permitted to pass out to the lake. (Prior code § 38-45)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-440 Signal for bridge opening.

10-40-440 Signal for bridge opening. When any vessel shall signal for any bridge across the Chicago River or any of its branches, the bridge tender shall immediately open the bridge. If, from any cause, the bridge tender cannot open the bridge, he shall immediately notify the vessel by waving a red flag by day and a red lantern by night and continue waving the same until the vessel has stopped, continuing thereafter to display the same until the bridge can be opened. As soon as the cause for stopping the vessel has been removed, the bridge shall be immediately opened. It shall be unlawful for the owner, officer, or other person in charge of any vessel in transit upon the Chicago River and its branches to attempt to navigate any such vessel past any of the bridges over said river or branches, while a stop signal is being given or displayed. (Prior code § 38-46)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-450 Signal for opening of railroad bridges.

10-40-450 Signal for opening of railroad bridges. When any vessel shall signal for any railroad bridge across any part of the harbor, the bridge tender shall immediately open the bridge, unless a train be on the bridge or approaching it so closely as to be unable to stop, and in that case the bridge may be kept closed long enough for the passage of one train and no more. If, from any cause, the bridge tender cannot open the bridge, he shall immediately notify the vessel by waving a red flag by day and a red lantern by night and continue waving the same until the vessel has stopped, continuing thereafter to display the same until the bridge can be opened. As soon as the cause for stopping the vessel has been removed, the bridge shall be immediately opened. It shall be unlawful for the owner, officer or other person in charge of any vessel to attempt to pass any railroad bridge while a stop signal is being given or displayed by the bridge tender. Nothing in this or the preceding section shall be considered as superseding the bridge hours as set forth in this Code. (Prior code § 38-47)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-460 Signal to bridge tenders.

10-40-460 Signal to bridge tenders. Every owner, officer, or person in charge of any vessel, craft or float navigating the harbor shall sound or cause to be sounded a steam whistle to signal bridge tenders to open and swing bridges, and such signal shall be three sharp, short sounds of the whistle, to be given in succession as quickly as possible and not to be prolonged, and the whistle used for this purpose shall be of suitable size to be heard; provided, such signal shall be four sharp, short sounds of the whistle for vessels approaching the Northwestern Railway Bridge near W. Kinzie Street, and the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railway Bridge near W. North Avenue from either direction, and shall be five sharp, short sounds of the whistle for vessels approaching the Lake Street Bridge from the north. (Prior code § 38-48)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-470 Obedience to bridge signals.

10-40-470 Obedience to bridge signals. It shall be unlawful for any person to attempt to drive a vehicle upon any bridge after a signal has been given, warning traffic to stop crossing said bridge. (Prior code § 38-49)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-480 Signal equipment at bridges.

10-40-480 Signal equipment at bridges. The commissioner of transportation is hereby required to provide and maintain at the several bridges over the harbor, in the best and most practicable manner, vessel signals as required by this Code. (Prior code § 38-50; Amend Coun. J. 12-11-91, p. 10832)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-490 Obstruction of bridges by vessels.

10-40-490 Obstruction of bridges by vessels. All vessels, craft, or floats navigating the harbor, when passing any bridge shall be moved past the same as expeditiously as is consistent with a proper movement in the harbor; but in no case shall any such vessel, craft, or float while passing any bridge and obstructing the passage across such bridge, move at a rate of speed less than two miles per hour, and in no case shall any vessel, craft, or float, while passing any bridge and obstructing the same, remain or obstruct the passage across such bridge more than five minutes; and no vessel, craft, or float shall be so anchored, laid, moored, fastened or brought to a stop as to prevent any bridge from a free and speedy opening or closing, or any vessel from a free and direct passage, nor shall any line or fastening be so thrown, laid, or made fast as to cross the track of any bridge or vessel. The master or other person having charge of such vessel, craft, or float which violates any provision of this section shall be fined not less than $100.00 nor more than $500.00 for each offense. (Prior code § 38-51; Amend Coun. J. 11-24-20, p. 24619, Art. III, § 1)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-500 Fireboats.

10-40-500 Fireboats. Whenever, upon any alarm of fire, any fireboat shall approach a bridge and sound the proper signal for such bridge to open, the bridge tender shall, if such bridge is closed, open the same as soon as practicable; or, if open, shall keep such bridge open until such fireboat shall have had opportunity to pass through the draw of said bridge notwithstanding that the street traffic may thereby be delayed. (Prior code § 38-52)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-501 Removal or disabling of life preservers prohibited.

10-40-501 Removal or disabling of life preservers prohibited. No person shall remove or disable any life preserver, life ring, personal flotation device or other safety equipment located on any bridge or in any place where such safety equipment is required by law, except for use in an emergency. Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be subject to a fine of not less than $300.00 and not more than $800.00. (Added Coun. J. 7-29-98, p. 75096; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-06. p. 85195, § 1)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-510 Fire apparatus crossing bridges.

10-40-510 Fire apparatus crossing bridges. Whenever, at any alarm of fire, any fire engine, hose cart, or other fire apparatus shall approach any bridge, for the purpose of crossing the same toward such fire, the bridge tender shall, if such bridge is open, close the same as soon as practicable, and after the same is closed, or if closed at the time, keep it closed until such engine, hose cart, or other fire apparatus shall have had an opportunity to pass over said bridge, notwithstanding that vessels may thereby be delayed. (Prior code § 38-53)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-520 Rule of the road.

10-40-520 Rule of the road. It shall be the duty of all drivers or persons in charge of any vehicle to keep to the right when crossing any bridge in the city. (Prior code § 38-54)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-530 Breaking line of traffic on bridge.

10-40-530 Breaking line of traffic on bridge. No person driving a vehicle across a bridge shall cross, attempt to cross, or break into, the line of vehicles while crossing or attempting to cross any bridge, nor shall any person disobey or resist any officer in charge of any bridge or crossing within the city. (Prior code § 38-55)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-540 Unnecessary delay on bridge.

10-40-540 Unnecessary delay on bridge. No person shall unnecessarily or wilfully remain or stop with any vehicle upon any of the bridges within the city, or in and upon any approach to any such bridge. (Prior code § 38-56)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-550 Obstruction of traffic over bridge - Prohibited.

10-40-550 Obstruction of traffic over bridge - Prohibited. No person shall engage in any conduct which obstructs or interferes with the free flow of pedestrians or vehicles across a bridge. (Prior code § 38-57; Amend Coun. J. 7-26-06, p. 81941, § 1)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-560 Congregation on bridges or viaducts.

10-40-560 Congregation on bridges or viaducts. It shall be unlawful for any person to form or cause an accumulation of persons, animals or vehicles on any public bridge or viaduct, to any extent which may jeopardize the safety of such bridge or viaduct. No person shall persist in causing such accumulation, after being warned by a bridge tender, police officer or other person having supervision of such bridge or viaduct. (Prior code § 38-58)

Source: City of Chicago, Municipal Code of Chicago (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2653694Fetched: 10/24/2026