September 4, 2016 – Fall bridge lifts will start on Saturday, September 17, at 9:00 a.m. and take place every Saturday and Wednesday after that until November 12, according to Chicago Department of Transportation.

Bridges are lifted to help tall boats get to winter storage. During a boat run, each bridge along the main and south branch of the Chicago River is raised one at a time. Each lift takes about 8-12 minutes.