Circle Interchange Halsted Street & Harrison Street Bridges

The Circle Interchange reconstruction program embraces features that collectively improve the safety and mobility of interstate travelers in the heart of downtown Chicago, Ill., featuring improvements to the bridges, roadway and drainage system while minimizing environmental impacts and enhancing the community connectivity on the local street network surrounding the interchange.

Gannett Fleming was retained by IDOT to perform Construction Management and Inspection Services for the following scope under the agreement at the Circle Interchange:

• Replacement of the West Harrison Street Bridge over Southbound I-90/94 and Halsted Street Bridge over the Eisenhower Expressway I-290 (60W26).
• Replacement of the East Harrison Street Bridge over Northbound I-90/94 (60W71).
• Bulkheading of Four Abandoned Underground Water Tunnels at Harrison St., Des Plaines St., Van Buren St., and Halsted St. (60W36).

Halsted Street consists of 2-lanes in each direction, reducing to 1-lane by the Van Buren Street intersection. Improvements included: sidewalks on both sides with a minimum 10-foot width, dedicated 5-foot bike lane in each direction, modernized traffic signal at the intersection of Harrison and Halsted, new roadway lighting, upgraded underpass bridge lighting, and a new pedestrian crosswalk with a traffic signal across Halsted Street at the existing CTA Station.

Harrison Street consists of 1-lane in each direction. Improvements included: sidewalks on both sides with a minimum width of 7-feet, a dedicated 7-foot bike lane in each direction, new roadway lighting and upgraded underpass bridge lighting. The existing approach roadways to the bridges were reconstructed within the project limits. Existing sidewalks were reconstructed to ADA standards and existing bridge mounted signs upgraded. Tunnel bulkheading was performed adjacent to the bridges to seal and fill abandoned water tunnels in conflict with the proposed improvements.

Gannett Fleming coordinated with the Chicago Department of Water Management, Chicago Transit Authority, City of Chicago Department of Transportation, PACE, local business, Chicago Police Department and Chicago Fire Department on this project.