The Joliet Area Historical Museum announced the project on Monday, the anniversary of the opening of the first Dairy Queen store in downtown Joliet, on June 22, 1940.

The building at 501 N. Chicago St. is on the Joliet stretch of historic Route 66, which is getting extra attention this year on its 100th anniversary.

The building on Monday looked much the same as it has for past decades.

But that is changing this week, said Greg Peerbolte, chief executive officer of the Joliet Area Historical Museum.

The storefront this week is getting some changes “that will give it its 1940s appearance,” Peerbolte said.

The Dairy Queen building at 501 N. Chicago St. is being converted into a “selfie stop” for Route 66 tourists, the museum said in a news release that included comments from Dairy Queen’s CEO.

“While we have modernized and grown to more than 7,900 DQ restaurants in over 20 countries serving hot food and treats, it’s important to remember the legacy of the Dairy Queen brand,” CEO Tony Bader said. “We’re humbled that Joliet Area Historical Museum and the City of Joliet are recognizing the Dairy Queen brand in this way.”

The Dairy Queen project is a joint venture between the museum and the city. It is supported by grants from the Heritage Corridor Destinations Route 66 Grant Program and the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity.

Joliet recognized the original Dairy Queen store in 2011 with local landmark status and put a plaque on the site.

The plaque embedded in the sidewalk outside the building already is worn down to the point of being unreadable.

The two-story brick building, used for several businesses since it was built in the 1890s, “has quietly maintained a hidden history as the first home of an internationally iconic brand,” according to the release.

“Joliet’s distinction as the home of the world’s first Dairy Queen location, one of the most beloved brands in the world, is one of its greatest hidden historic gems,” Peerbolte said in the release.

The development of Dairy Queen soft serve ice cream dates back to the late 1930s, according to the release.

The product was first served at a local ice cream stand in Kankakee before the Dairy Queen chain was started. The Kankakee ice cream stand, while not named Dairy Queen at the time, is a Dairy Queen location today.

The Joliet location that was the first store to bear the Dairy Queen name was opened by J.F. “Grandpa” McCullough and his family and Sherb Noble, according to the release.

Restoration of the building interior to its 1940s appearance already is underway in what the museum termed an “historically accurate facelift” in its release.

The restoration is supported by Dairy Queen, which has supplied the Joliet museum staff with historical and archival documents.

Dairy Queen support “has enabled the Museum’s curatorial staff to ensure accurate reproductions of period neon signs, exterior signage and murals, as well as lighting fixtures,” according to the release.

The museum has started “a full architectural and engineering assessment of the building to determine its potential future uses,” according to the release.

The settlement involves a past practice in which Joliet would force truckers to have their cases heard at City Hall hearings before administrative judges paid by the city.

Truckers argued that they should have had the option to take their cases to a circuit court judge at the Will County Courthouse, a position supported by both a state appellate court and the Illinois Supreme Court.

The Joliet City Council on Tuesday agreed to add $2 million to the 2026 budget to pay for the settlement.

Interim City Attorney Todd Lenzie told the council that $2 million is “a ballpark figure for what we’re talking about settling for.”

Lenzie said “the ink’s not dry on the settlement,” and the case is still “pending litigation” so he limited his comments.

But he did say that the class-action lawsuit involved “approximately 5,500 tickets issued at $750 a pop.”

That suggests the Joliet would have collected more than $4 million while processing the cases through an administrative judge working for the city.

Lenzie did not confirm how much the city collected in fines handled through an administrative court on Wednesday.

Lenzie said the lawsuit covers cases handled from November 2018 through 2023. The practice occurred before then, but a five-year statute of limitations applied to the lawsuit, he said.

City officials at that time pointed to trucker fines as an example of ways Joliet was generating new revenue.

Former Mayor Bob O’Dekirk, in a presentation to the City Council in 2019, noted increased revenue from truck fines as the city stepped up truck enforcement. O’Dekirk said the city collected nearly $1.5 million in truck fines in 2018 compared to $29,000 in 2014.

Municipalities have a financial stake in imposing their own fines, which then go solely to the city. Court-imposed fines on trucking violations are distributed among various governmental entities.

The lawsuit challenging the city practice was initially filed by Joliet attorney Frank Andreano on behalf of four truckers from Illinois, Missouri, California and Ontario, Canada.

It evolved into a class-action lawsuit that pointed to Joliet’s location at the crossroads of Interstates 80 and 55 as “one of the most heavily-trafficked areas for commercial trucks in all of the U.S.”

The City Council on Tuesday approved an amendment to its 2026 budget to pay for the settlement.

City spokesperson Sydney Thompson said in an email that the $2 million settlement would first come out of any surplus that is available from the 2026 budget.

Whatever is not available from a 2026 surplus would come out of the city reserve funds, Thompson said.

Joliet reserve funds are nearly $100 million, she said.

Rialto Executive Director Wade Welsh told the Joliet City Council Tuesday that the new HVAC system now being installed is critical to the survival of the theater.

“That is the biggest problem that keeps me up nights,” Welsh said. “No HVAC means no shows.”

The Rialto started the project June 1, closing the theater until the HVAC project is completed on Sept. 15.

(Shaw Local originally reported the loan at $2.5 million based on a city staff memo that listed that amount. Finance Director Keven Sing said Tuesday that the amount in the memo was an error.)

Welsh portrayed dire possibilities if the Rialto was not able to complete the $9 million HVAC project and had to cancel shows.

“Our reputation in the industry is gone, and it will be impossible to bring future shows to the Rialto,” he predicted.

Actually, the Rialto had to cancel shows two years ago when the HVAC project was started and stopped because of an asbestos issue attributed to a contractor’s error.

The asbestos cleanup project ordered by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency cost the theater $1.7 million, which the Rialto is trying to regain through litigation with the contractor.

The amount of time it took to conduct the state-required cleanup was longer than planned for the HVAC project, which was then postponed until this year.

Whatever the Rialto gets through litigation will be used to pay off the city loan.

Whatever is not covered by the litigation will come out of future annual grants the city provides the theater, which are now at $475,000 a year.

The city could learn the outcome of the contractor litigation in coming weeks.

“The litigation is very close to being resolved, and I would say in the next 60 days it will be,” Rialto board Chairman Robert Filotto told the City Council.

Filotto said the $2 million the Rialto gets from the loan would be the last money spent on the HVAC project.

“There’s a very good chance we won’t need any of the city money,” he said, suggesting a litigation payout could be used directly to pay for the HVAC project depending on the timing.

The loan did not appear to be a hard sell to the City Council, which typically supports the Rialto.

“There’s not a bigger economic driver in downtown Joliet,” Councilwoman Susanna Ibarra said.

The city is making a big investment downtown this year, opening the new City Square right across from the Rialto with paver bricks laid into Chicago Street to create a connection between the theater and the square.

“I can’t imagine what it would be like to have a beautiful City Square with no Rialto,” Ibarra said.

The council vote was 8-1 with Larry Hug being the one no vote.

Hug said the loan could obligate future councils to approve the annual $475,000 city grant to cover the loan.

The Rialto already is using previous city grants to cover $1 million of costs in the HVAC project, Welsh said.

A Will County grant is covering $3 million of the costs, and a state grant is covering another $3 million.

Welsh said the current HVAC system was built in the 1950s and 1960s and is long past its expected life.

The $9 million project is already underway, suggesting Rialto officials expect to get the money.

The 100-year-old theater has been closed since June 1 for the work, which actually was started in 2024 before an asbestos problem brought it to a halt.

“It wasn’t their fault,” Mayor Terry D’Arcy said of the asbestos issue at a Monday workshop meeting of the City Council.

State authorities in 2024 ordered the theater closed and an extensive cleanup after a reported mishandling of debris by a contractor.

The Rialto is in litigation with contractors seeking reimbursement for its losses during a prolonged closing and additional clean-up mandated by the state.

The city would have a claim on any court payout from the litigation to pay off the loan, D’Arcy said.

“Whatever they get is paid back to us immediately,” he said.

Whatever the Rialto doesn’t get from the litigation would be taken out of the city’s annual grant to the Rialto.

The city would use its annual $475,000 grant to the Rialto to pay off the loan instead of providing the money to the theater, Finance Director Kevin Sing said.

Sing noted the Rialto does have an impact on downtown business.

“When they were closed last time we felt it downtown,” he said.

Joliet is not the only funding source for the Rialto HVAC project.

Grants are covering $6.9 million of the $9 million project, according to a staff memo.

The state and Will County are providing most of the funding.

The Rialto is replacing a dated HVAC system that does not allow the for temperature control when the furnace or air conditioner is running.

“There is not a working thermostat in the theater,” Rialto Executive Director Wade Welsh said during a previous interview about the project.

Welsh said the HVAC system dates back to the 1950s or 1960s.

The HVAC replacement project is expected to run through Sept. 15, Welsh said.

“City services will not be affected, and City Hall representatives will remain available by phone at 815-724-4000 through the normal business day ending at 4:30 p.m.,” according to a news release issued by the city at 2:58 p.m.

The closure was “due to anticipated severe weather this afternoon,” according to the release.

The National Weather Service has put out a warning of high winds until 4 p.m. for a large area that includes Joliet and most sections of Will County.

The high-wind warning comes as storms with the continued potential for high winds and even tornadoes move into the area.

The city noted that residents should call 911 for emergencies.

“We encourage residents to monitor weather conditions and take appropriate precautions as storms move through the area,” according to the release.

City officials on Thursday also offered information for residents who still do not have power or are dealing with fallen trees and branches the day after a storm with high winds swept through Joliet and other communities.

The Wellness Center at Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park, 201 W. Jefferson St., offers relief from the heat, Storm Ready Kits and bottled water.

The center was opened on Thursday morning as ComEd continues to restore power to residents, and city road crews continue to clean tree debris from streets.

“At this time, ComEd crews are actively working to resolve power outages across Joliet and the region,” the city said in a news release announcing the Wellness Center.

Downed or damaged power lines should be reported to ComEd “immediately at 1-800-EDISON-1 (1-800-334-7661), text OUT to 2-6-6-3-3 or access ComEd.com,” according to the release.

The city also offered advice to residents using generators while their power is out.

“Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, electrocution, and fires by never using generators indoors, placing them at least 20 feet away from your home and away from windows, and by not connecting them directly to your home power supply,” according to the release.

The Storm Ready Kits provided at the Wellness Center include rechargeable lanterns, first-aid kits, blankets, portable chargers, car inverters, emergency LED lights and other emergency supplies.

Noting that another wave of storms is expected on Thursday, the city advised that road crews will be cleaning debris from streets at least through this week.

“If residents would like the city to pick up debris from trees on private property, please place all branches on the parkway by the morning of Monday,” according to the release.

Residents who are unable to place tree debris on the parkway by Monday should make arrangements with Waste Management for disposal, according to the release.

The city noted residents in need of emergency services should call 9-1-1. For non-emergency issues, residents should call City Hall at 815-724-4000.

The two-way drawbridge over the Des Plaines River will be reduced to westbound traffic only during repairs that are expected to be completed sometime in July, the Illinois Department of Transportation said.

“The lane closure is due to corrosion of the structural steel on portions of the bridge discovered during a recent evaluation,” IDOT said in a news release issued Wednesday afternoon. “The current posted weight restrictions on the bridge will remain in place.”

A detour will send eastbound traffic to the Ruby Street drawbridge, which was closed for five hours on Tuesday morning because of grime on a sensor.

The Ruby Street bridge was operating more slowly than usual on Thursday, but IDOT spokeswoman Maria Castaneda said that was due to a power outage in the area.

A power outage related to the Wednesday storm that passed through Joliet cut off ComEd power to the bridge, she said.

“Our backup generators are providing limited power and reduced bridge functionality, resulting in much longer times to open and close the bridge leaf to accommodate marine traffic,” Castaneda said in an email.

The bridge is raised for barge traffic along the Des Plaines River, a process that requires electric power.

“We are working with ComEd and are hopeful that power will be restored as soon as possible in the area and at the bridge,” Castaneda said in an email.

The Jackson Street bridge will return to two-way traffic once repairs are completed, according to the IDOT release.

“The public can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area,” according to the release. “Alternate routes are encouraged.”

Clinton between Chicago Street and the exit of the Scott Street parking deck will be closed from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Scott Street parking deck will remain open and accessible during that time “to ensure continued access for motorists utilizing the facility,” according to a news release from the city announcing the street closure.

The section of street will be closed to provide space for a crane that will be used for work on the roof of a building at 22 E. Clinton St., according to the release.

Those with questions can call the Public Works Department at 815-724-4200.

The opening ceremony for “Remembering Our Fallen,” a traveling memorial for U.S. service members who lost their lives in the Global War on Terror has been rescheduled for noon Friday at City Square.

The memorial exhibit is scheduled to remain in the Square until 6 p.m. Sunday.

The Concert on the Hill performance scheduled for Thursday night at Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park has been canceled.

The changes were made because of “the potential for severe weather and anticipated storms this afternoon and evening,” according to a news release from the city.

The drawbridge has been “out of service due to power outage related issues” since before 11 a.m., according to the police department Facebook page.

It’s the second time this week that the bridge has stopped working. On Tuesday morning, the bridge was out of service for five hours because of grime and debris on a sensor, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

“The Roadways Division has been working to clear all streets of any debris from the storm last night. Due to the two additional waves of storms expected today, Roadways will continue to clear all roadways and prepare for the upcoming storms,” the city of Joliet said in a statement.

Crews will continue be out through the storms and any damage from Thursday’s storms will be reevaluated on Friday, the city said.

“I am told there are no roadways that are completely blocked, but there are some locations that may still be obstructed but passable as of this morning,” Joliet Police Sgt. Dwayne English said Thursday.

Police did respond to 10 crashes between 3:30 p.m. midnight Wednesday, he said. “None of them were major crashes,” English said.

Joliet Fire Chief Jeff Carey said, “We did have a lot of trees and power lines down. There were some homes damaged from falling trees, but nothing was major.”

New Lenox Fire Protection District said it received a few calls for downed power lines “and maybe one tree that fell on the north side of town that we made aware of, but nothing beyond anything we anticipated,” said spokesoman Marisa Tomich.

Cleanup in Joliet will be extended at least through the end of next week, the city said.

Residents who would like the city to pick up debris from trees on private property need to place all branches on the parkway by the morning of Monday, June 15.

City crews will “systematically clear all parkways street by street, and crews may not be able to circle back to houses that have not placed their debris in the parkway by that time,” the city said.

If residents are unable to place debris on the parkway by Monday, make arrangements with Waste Management for disposal.

City crews will be collecting storm debris from city-owned parkway trees only over the next several days.

Residents may place downed limbs and yard waste debris on the parkway, and city crews will make multiple passes through the community to collect it.

Tree damage on private property is the responsibility of the property owner. The city advises residents to contact a landscaping service or use Republic Services’ weekly curbside yard waste program for disposal.

For curbside pickup through Republic Services follow these guidelines:

The city of Lockport Public Works Department said it is working to clear trees and other roadway obstructions throughout the city.

Anyone who has branches or tree limbs to be picked up, place them at the edge of the parkway with the cut ends facing the street by the end of the day on Sunday, June 14.

Place small twigs and branch debris in your Waste Management yard waste containers.

Non-emergency service requests can be submitted online:

https://cityoflockport.net/213/Submit-a-Service-Request

The city has designated the following cooling centers:

Lockport Police Department, 1212 Farrell Road

Available 24 hours – After 4:30 p.m., use the phone in the lobby to contact an officer, who will assist in opening the facility.

Lockport City Hall, 222 E. 9th St.,

Open 8 a.m to 4:30 p.m.

The Salvation Army Joliet Corps Community Center in Joliet was closed Thursday. Power lines were down and the center was without power.

Power outages and general storm cleanup forced businesses in the Joliet area to close .

Walmart, 1401 Illinois, Route 59, Joliet, is closed as of 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

An employee outside the store was telling people it was closed because of a power outage from the storms.

Merichka’s Restaurant in Crest Hill posted it was closed Thursday “and possibly tomorrow since our power is off. Unfortunately we will have to remake a lot of items and that takes a lot of time. I will keep everyone posted about tomorrow Friday.”

Tens of thousands of ComEd customers in Will County were without power into Wednesday night.

With more storms expected, the National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for northeastern Will County until 4 a.m. Thursday.

City of Joliet spokesperson Sydney Thompson said, “There are multiple damage reports, including downed trees and power outages. The storm affected the entire city. We are still assessing the scope of the damage.”

Joliet Public Works, fire and police departments were responding to storm-related issues across the city, including hazards being caused by downed trees and wires, Thompson said.

“With more severe weather expected (Wednesday overnight) and tomorrow, residents are urged to pay attention to the forecasts and have several ways to receive weather alerts,” Thompson said.

Anyone experiencing a power outage or who sees a downed or damaged power line is urged to call ComEd immediately at 1-800-EDISON-1 (1-800-334-7661), text OUT to 2-6-6-3-3, or visit ComEd.com, she said.

The Joliet police department said Wednesday evening it was responding to “multiple incidents related to the weather” and road hazards caused by trees and wires down due to the storm.

“If you are out driving, please use caution if you come across a road hazard and be prepared to use an alternate route. City departments (Police, Fire, Streets) are responding to incidents as quickly & safely as possible,” the police department said.

The city of Lockport Public Works Department crews were out clearing trees from roads Wednesday afternoon.

Trees and power lines were reported down blocking streets in the downtown Lockport area.

Lockport Chamber of Commerce canceled all Old Canal Days festival events scheduled for Thursday due to the severe weather forecast.

The weather and storm damage led the Joliet Public Schools District 86 to cancel its regular Board of School Inspectors meeting that was scheduled for Wednesday night.

The meeting will be rescheduled at a future date, the district said.

The induction ceremony, which in the past has brought hundreds of music fans to downtown Joliet, will be held in the Harris Theater in Millennium Park on Sept. 27.

The museum, located in downtown Joliet, announced the new venue when tickets for the event went on sale Tuesday.

“We’re thrilled to bring the Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony to downtown Chicago for the first time, and the Harris Theater is the perfect stage for it,” Ron Romero, founder and president of the museum, said in the news release announcing ticket sales.

This will be the fifth induction ceremony, which puts classic rock performers on stage as musicians and radio personalities with Illinois roots are inducted into the Hall of Fame.

All ceremonies until now have been held in Joliet and usually at the Rialto Square Theatre.

Romero said Wednesday that he needed another location because the Rialto will be closed for maintenance on the date when the ceremony will be held, and Joliet has no other venue with a stage that can hold the audience he expects.

Romero said he expects a sold-out show at the Harris Theater, which holds 1,550 people.

The Rialto did close June 1 for installation of a new heating and air conditioning system.

But the theater plans to reopen Sept. 16, Rialto Executive Director Wade Welsh said.

“I don’t believe I ever heard from Ron this year,” Welsh said when asked whether there was any attempt to book the Rialto for the Hall of Fame event.

He said Romero may have assumed the theater would be closed longer, but Rialto officials count on being open Sept. 27.

“We actually have a wedding booked for the 27th,” Welsh said.

Romero said he didn’t want to take the chance of “something going wrong” in the maintenance project that would delay the Rialto reopening and lead to the induction ceremony having to be rescheduled.

The ceremony was rescheduled in 2024 because of an asbestos issue that arose when the Rialto was working on the heating and air system that year.

Whether or not there was any confusion over the Rialto’s availability in September, Romero said this may not be the only year the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is moved out of Joliet.

“To be honest with you, we are the Illinois Rock & Roll museum,” Romero said. “We could hold it anywhere.”

He mentioned Peoria as another possibility, noting the city has a civic center with a stage that could accommodate the ceremony.

Holding the show outside of Joliet also increases exposure for the museum and opens up opportunities for new sponsors, Romero said.

“Once we move out of Joliet, we get a better chance at more sponsorships,” he said. “We love our sponsors in Will County and Joliet, but we go back to the same people all the time.”

The show will be at 6 p.m., Sept. 27.

Ticket prices are $100.50, $75.00 and $64.50. They can be purchased on the Harris Theater website.

There are at least 17 inductees that will be honored at the event. They include:

• Bands and solos artists Survivor, American Breed, Koko Taylor, The Boyzz and The Flock

• Songwriters Curtis Mayfield and Kevin Cronin

• Radio personality Terri Hemmert and radio station WDRV (The Drive)

• Brunswick Records

• Irving Azoff, Gary Richrath, Golden Voice Studio, Triangle Productions, Hot Mix 5 and Plain White T’s.

“The evening will feature live performances by The Plain White T’s, 1960s jazz-rock band The Flock, Hot Mix 5 and a special reunion performance by The Boyzz, plus several surprise guests to be announced,” according to the museum release. “WGN Radio host and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Bob Sirott will host the ceremony.”

Joliet will spend $190,625 to paint the deck, which rises above the new City Square.

“It sits adjacent to the City Square and will be used as the main parking destination for all downtown events held at the City Square,” noted a staff memo to the City Council, which approved the paint job at its June 2 meeting.

The paint job, scheduled to start this week, weather permitting, will include exterior walls and stairwells at the deck.

The project is expected to take six weeks with the parking deck remaining open, city spokeswoman Sydney Thompson said.

Alleys will be closed when painting is done on those walls, and the sidewalk on Ottawa Street will be closed at times when that area is painted, Thompson said.

Both the staff memo and Councilman Joe Clement noted that the deck has not been painted since the 1990s as the council unanimously approved the contract with Cosgrove Construction Inc., the lowest of three bidders on the job.

The staff memo noted the paint job “is needed as part of overall maintenance.”

“The color would be the same but will appear a bit darker than it is now because of fading,” the staff memo noted

The deck will be painted in Mexican sand, the same color used when City Hall got a fresh coat of paint last year.

“It’s a very neutral color that matches City Hall and other buildings,” City Manager Beth Beatty told the council before it voted for the contract.

While the paint job for the deck may be a needed maintenance project, it is also one more example of the city’s increased spending and attention downtown that has come with the opening of the City Square at the end or April.

Other actions taken by the city since then have included:

• A $555,000 contract with Forte, which the council approved in May, to provide an audio-visual music system for the Square

• The expansion of a police Special Services Unit, which was announced last week, with six officers devoted to downtown policing

• The establishment of a new “social district” that will allow outdoor alcohol consumption in and around the Square on a daily basis.

“Remembering Our Fallen,” a national memorial exhibit, will be at the City Square downtown until 6 p.m. Sunday.

The memorial includes 35 tribute towers with photographs of those who lost their lives in the war on terror, according to a news release from the city of Joliet.

An opening ceremony will be held at noon on Thursday at the City Square, located at 91 N.Chicago St. The ceremony will include the Joliet Fire Department Pipes and Drums and the Joliet Police Department Pipes and Drums.

The memorial is brought to Joliet by Patriotic Productions, a nonprofit organization.

The club occupies a 1920s era building original built to be a synagogue.

Ray and Mari Hernandez occupy an 1891 house that they spent two years to restore after it was damaged by a fire.

The annual Historic Preservation Award was the latest recognition for the lighting project at St. Joseph Catholic Church downtown.

“It turned out better than I even thought,” the Rev. John Hornicak, pastor at St. Joseph Catholic Church, said as he and parishioners accepted the award at a May 19 City Council meeting.

The lighting project has drawn new attention to the church built in 1905.

The proclamation citing the award also gave note to the church’s two “Romanesque Revival style steeples” that rise 156 feet and its “massive stained glass ‘rose’ window.”

The awards also noted some history of the George Werden Buck Boys & Girls Club that is not likely known by all Joliet residents.

The building at 226 E. Clinton St. was “completed in 1928 as the new synagogue for the Joliet Jewish Federation and is embellished with geometric brick relief work,” states the city proclamation.

The proclamation recognizes the club for preserving “intricate brick details of the north facade while it was being rebuilt ensuring these details were reinstated.”

Club board member Mark Inserra noted there was “quite a debate” over the preservation effort because of its $100,000 cost.

He credited the Werden Buck Company “brickyard for somehow finding brick that matched.”

The proclamation honoring the restoration effort for the house at 408 Whitney Ave. noted that its owners did not live in the house for two years while restoring it after a fire.

“We’re happy in doing our part to make the Cathedral Area and the city of Joliet a beautiful place,” Ray Hernandez told the council as he and Mari accepted the award.

The proclamation notes that the 135-year-old house “looks just as it did before the fire and maintains its historic integrity.”

The drawbridge was operating again at about 8:15 a.m., said Maria Castaneda, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The bridge was closed at about 3:30 a.m. after a sensor became soiled with grease and debris, Castaneda said. A repair crew “cleared the sensor and checked the bridge” before putting it back in operation, she said.

The bridge is one of five downtown drawbridges that carry traffic over the Des Plaines River. One of those bridges at Cass Street is shut down for repairs and is not expected to reopen until late 2027.