Chicago Skyway

A south side landmark, the dramatic 7.8-mile Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge System connects I-94 (Dan Ryan Expressway) to I-90 (Indiana Toll Road) at the Indiana border. Built in 1956, it includes a 3.5-mile elevated mainline structure crossing the Calumet River and now carries 40,000 vehicles per day on three lanes in each direction. CTE prepared contract documents for the major rehabilitation of the Commercial Avenue Viaduct, the Calumet River Bridge, and the 100th Street Viaduct.  These are continuous structures that carry the Skyway over the Calumet River.  The total project length is 6,139 feet.  The bridge provides 125 feet of vertical clearance and 200 feet of horizontal clearance to year-round ship traffic on the river.  The structures are composed of various steel superstructure types supported on concrete piers, steel towers and steel bents.

In 1998, the Chicago Department of Transportation selected CTE as the independent consulting engineer for the bridge system, responsible for an annual system inspection and reports and recommendations for maintenance, repair, and operations. The inspection efforts were coupled with a special project to assess critical bridge details for potential fatigue. The long-term inspection project includes bridge structures, skyway facilities (maintenance garages, toll collection facilities, and skyway maintenance offices), and the roadway system including pavement, lighting and signage.