Canal Street Viaducts and Roadway Rehabilitation Improvements
Phase III: Canal Street from Adams Street to Madison Street
Website Update: October 22, 2026
The project entered traffic stage 1B on Monday October 12, 2026. Part of the viaduct work on the east side of Canal St also requires a full Canal St closure between Adams St. and Madison St. on select weekends to safely remove steel beams, install new beams, and pour the new concrete road. Weekend closures will be from Friday 8:00 PM to Monday 5:00 AM.
The first full closure is scheduled for Friday night November 13, 8:00 PM, to Monday morning November 16, 5:00 AM. The next weekend closure is scheduled for Friday night November 20, to Monday morning November 23. There will not be a weekend closure on Thanksgiving weekend. Weekend closures after Thanksgiving will be notified in advance.
Canal St. weekend full closure include:
- Northbound Canal Street will be detoured west at Adams St, north at Jefferson St, then back east at Washington Blvd.
- Monroe Street will be closed at Canal Street and will be for local access only.
- The south pedestrian crosswalk at Madison Street will remain closed as part of stage 1B.
Pedestrian access will remain open on the west side of Canal Street.
Website Update: October 15, 2026
Stage 1B was successfully implemented on Monday October 12, 2026.
The first weekend of viaduct demolition will run from Friday night, October 16, through early Monday morning, October 19, beginning at Madison Street and progressing south. Work will continue during daytime and nighttime hours on weeknights and weekends for the remainder of the project.
Website Update: September 9, 2026
On December 15, 2025, the project entered Traffic Stage 1A, closing the east side of Canal St. while maintaining northbound traffic on the west side; keeping Monroe St. open, and maintaining pedestrian traffic on the west sidewalk of Canal St.
Since then, the contractor has completed advance removals and installed temporary supports within the viaduct. To minimize traffic impacts, the contractor delayed entering the full traffic stage, keeping Monroe Street open and maintaining two lanes of traffic on Canal Street.
The remaining Amtrak approvals have now been granted to begin demolition, and the contractor is now prepared to shift into the full traffic stage that is consistent with adjacent sections of Canal Street to safely perform viaduct demolition between Adams Street and Madison Street.
The Stage 1B Traffic updates include:
• Northbound Canal Street will be reduced from two lanes to one.
• Monroe Street eastbound traffic will be maintained with one left-turn lane and one through lane.
• The south pedestrian crosswalk at Madison Street will be closed.
• The northeast sidewalk at Adams Street will be closed.
• Pedestrian access will remain open on the west side of Canal Street.
Construction activities will occur during both daytime and nighttime hours throughout the week.
Update: November 26, 2025
The upcoming street and viaduct reconstruction project will take place on Canal Street between Adams Street and Madison Street. The reconstruction will be performed in 2 stages. Stage 1 will close the east half of Canal and maintain traffic on the west half, and Stage 2 will close the west half of Canal and maintain traffic on the east half.
Stage 1 will be performed first, starting December 2025. Vehicular traffic on Canal will be maintained northbound; Monroe Street will remain open; and pedestrian traffic will travel on the west side of Canal Street.
Construction crews will perform day and night work. Pedestrian access will be maintained
Update: July 31, 2024
The upcoming street and viaduct reconstruction project will take place on Canal Street between Adams Street and Madison Street.
Key Improvements Include:
Potential Impacts:
We strive to minimize inconvenience during this project, but some temporary disruptions may occur:
Traffic and Parking: The construction will be carried out in a couple of stages. To accommodate each stage, Canal Street between Adams Street and Madison Street will have partial closures.
Sidewalk Access: At least one sidewalk will remain open during each phase of the construction.
Access to Businesses: Access to Chicago Union Station will remain open, as well as the loading dock for 10 & 120 S. Riverside Plaza. Coordination with property managers will be done before construction regarding access to parking garage entrances and exits.
Noise and Dust: Construction will occur both day and night, so some noise and dust should be expected as part of the activities. These activities include demolishing the concrete deck of the viaduct, steel removal and erection of the viaduct, and concrete pouring of the viaduct deck.
Communication and Updates:
We are dedicated to keeping you updated on developments throughout the project. Regular updates will be posted on our website (https://cdotcanalprojects.com). For immediate concerns or inquiries, please email us at cdotcanalprojects@gmail.com.