March 11, 2013 – After being entirely closed to traffic for nine days, the Wells Street Bridge opened Monday morning with the first CTA train testing the tracks at 4:24 a.m. Brown and Purple Line schedules should be back to normal at least until April 26.

That is when CTA rail service will be interrupted again for nine days as the north end of the bridge is replaced. Early on March 6, a new south leaf was secured to the bridge. Each leaf weighs about 500,000 pounds.

Except for L trains, the bridge has been closed to traffic since November 5, 2012. It should re-open completely by November 2013.

(Above) Moored to a Poseidon barge on the Chicago River, the 89-foot 2400-horsepower tugboat Buckley assists with the Wells Street Bridge renovation project on March 6. Based in Chicago, the Buckley operates throughout the Great Lakes. The 78-foot tug James J. Versluis, owned by the City of Chicago, passes in the background. (Click on image to view larger version.)

 More images: 91-year-old gets new moving parts