Authorities are blaming a "heat-related issue" for keeping the DuSable Lake Shore Drive bridge over the Chicago River closed to traffic for more than two hours Wednesday morning during a planned bridge lift, snarling car traffic up and down the highway.In a statement, the Chicago Department of Trans portation said: "During a scheduled bridge lift this morning, the DLSD bridge experienced a heat-related issue preventing it from fully closing. Crews are making the necessary adjustments to safely close the bridge and reopen the roadway as quickly as possible."Traffic was at a standstill on both sides of the bridge as authorities with the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications told drivers to seek alternative routes. A Chicago Fire Department boat could be seen spraying water on the structure, apparently to cool it down. Chicago was under a heat advisory Wednesday. The temperature had reached 90 degrees by early afternoon.A bridge lift had been planned for 10 a.m. for the Spirit of Chicago, a dining yacht with a 600-person capacity, according to an earlier city alert.A crowd of Lakefront Trail users gathered on the north end of the bridge, waiting as crews fully raised the bridge around noon as the Spirit of Chicago yacht returned to Navy Pier. Pedestrians and cyclists waited at the north end of the DuSable Lake Shore Drive while the bridge over the Chicago River was stuck open on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026.Dave Struett/Sun-Times The bridge briefly appeared to close completely at 12:15 p.m. But the attempt was unsuccessful and the bridge was lifted slightly open once again.One waiting cyclist burst out in frustration: “What’s going on here? This is crazy.”Another cyclist, Pilbin Im, said she was biking Downtown to a meeting and wasn’t aware the bridge was malfunctioning. She had been waiting for two minutes at the stuck bridge before being told by a reporter that the closure had been going on for two hours.“If there was a sign, that would have been nice,” she said.The DuSable Lake Shore Drive bridge is listed in "poor" condition, according to federal bridge inspection records. The same bridge was closed to traffic for over a day in 2019 when city inspectors noticed several cracked beam joints.Bridges in Chicago have occasionally become stuck for various reasons. In 2015, the Michigan Avenue become stuck open for two hours due to an electrical issue. The Sun-Times reported in April that about one in six of Chicago's bridges are rated in "poor" condition.This is a developing story. Check back for updates. ...read more read less