Granite’s Lakefront Trail #3 Named CISCO’s 2024 Infrastructure Project of the Year
Chicagoland’s Construction Industry Service Corporation (CISCO) announced the winners of its Project of the Year awards as part of the annual Pride in Construction Award Program. Granite won the top award in the “Infrastructure” category for the Lakefront Bicycle Trail #3 over the Chicago River.
CISCO Executive Director Dan Allen praised the winners, stating, “These projects exemplify union collaboration, innovation, and commitment to community. Their exceptional construction quality, inspired design, community impact, and stellar safety records set a standard that inspires us all. We are incredibly proud to celebrate these achievements, which will leave a lasting legacy in the region.”
The Lakefront Trail, located at 402 N. Lake Shore Drive on U.S. Route 41, stretches over the Chicago River along the east intermediate level of the historic DuSable Lake Shore Drive Bascule Bridge. This landmark is situated on the eastern edge of downtown Chicago’s Loop neighborhood, near Lake Michigan and just south of Navy Pier.
Constructed for the Chicago Department of Transportation, the Lakefront Bicycle Trail #3 project expanded the trail’s width from 8 feet to 16 feet on the east side of the bridge. Originally constructed between 1929 and 1937, this bridge was once the longest, widest, and heaviest bascule bridge in the world. The lower level of Lake Shore Drive, carrying the Lakefront Trail, was added in 1984. This project marks the first significant renovation to this section, fulfilling the “Make No Little Plans” ethos of Chicago’s legendary urban planner, Daniel Burnham, and his visionary “Plan of Chicago.”
To accommodate the widened trail, the existing bascule bridge underwent extensive mechanical and electrical rehabilitations, including refurbished center and heel locks, and an upgraded power and control system. Structural repairs included replacing all the stringers of Lower Lake Shore Drive and installing a new concrete-filled grid deck.
The project involved:
- Reconstruction and widening of the east sidewalk on the intermediate level of the Lake Shore Drive Bascule Bridge.
- Extensive rehabilitation of the existing structure, involving electrical, mechanical, and structural work on the bascule bridge and its approaches.
- Installation of new lighting for the east sidewalk.
- Replacement of the roadway deck at the intermediate level.
- Upgrading the sidewalk decking on both intermediate level sidewalks.
- Structural and architectural modifications to the east bridge houses, along with rehabilitation of four bridge houses and the stairways leading to the river level.
- Coordination with adjacent construction projects and various stakeholders, including the Chicago Park District, property owners, community groups, City, State, and Federal departments, the Coast Guard, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The project commenced in November 2018 and was completed in March 2023, and recorded 200,000 man-hours with minimal safety incidents. It revitalized the lower level of Lake Shore Drive to support modern needs while enhancing Chicago’s connectivity and community spaces. Coordination with diverse stakeholders like the Chicago Park District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and local communities ensured a successful and inclusive project.
