ROSCOE VILLAGE — It's last call for one final joy ride on the Western-Belmont viaduct, which is closing for good at midnight Monday.
Heavy construction equipment will be moving into place to prepare for the viaduct's demolition this coming weekend, Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld told reporters at a press conference Monday morning.
Motorists are strongly encouraged to use posted detours and to allow extra travel time.
RELATED: Western-Belmont Overpass Was Briefly Useful, But It's Time To Say Goodbye
After years of talking about replacing the crumbling overpass — which was built to lessen traffic around the old Riverview Amusement Park — the city nailed down construction dates and announced them last week.
Falling chunks of concrete from the viaduct have been a concern for years. [Marc Hochmuth]
Beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, Western Avenue will close to all traffic between Nelson and Roscoe, including the intersection at Belmont/Clybourn. That full closure lasts until 5 a.m. March 7.
That Monday morning, northbound Western will reopen on both sides of the intersection and southbound Western will reopen south of Belmont, the city said.
The southbound section of Western between Belmont and Roscoe won't reopen until 5 a.m. March 8.
Though the city had originally anticipated a second full closure would be needed, an accelerated demolition schedule has reduced that plan to just this one closure.
Detours will be in place between Diversey Avenue and Irving Park Road, with traffic diverted to Ashland Avenue. This route is the recommended alternative throughout the construction project, which is expected to last for 1½ years through summer 2017.
After the weekend demolition, there will only be one lane of traffic open on Western in each direction for five months. During this period, no left turns will be allowed from Western onto cross streets between George and Roscoe streets.
After five months, two lanes of traffic will be open in each direction until the project is completed.
Once construction wraps up, there will be three lanes in each direction on this stretch of Western during rush hour, as well as a five-leg, grade-level intersection at Western/Belmont/Clybourn.
Rendering of what the avenue will look like following reconstruction. [Chicago Department of Transportation]
The overpass was built in 1961 to relieve congestion in the area, which was then home to the Riverview Amusement Park.
Riverview closed at the end of the 1960s, and the overpass remained, allowing drivers on Western Avenue to sail over the Belmont-Clybourn intersection.
The overpass fell into disrepair and changing design standards made replacing the viaduct less feasible than tearing it down.
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