Projects – Infrastructure

Built in 1958, the Chicago Skyway Bridge is a 7.8-mile toll road that connects the Dan Ryan Expressway to the Indiana Toll Road. The main feature of the Skyway is a 1/2-mile long steel truss bridge, known as the “High Bridge”. The bridge spans the Calumet River and Calumet Harbor, a major harbor for industrial ships.

In 2003 and 2004, the City of Chicago initiated a $250 million project to rehabilitate and widen the Skyway. The project involved extensive work on the cantilever span and the approaches from both the river and the harbor. City Lights Ltd. played a key role throughout this major three-year renovation project, completing work for various general contractors while meeting the City of Chicago’s requirement that the Skyway remain open during construction.

Work completed included:

Surveillance camera installation — Installation of a new surveillance camera system that allows monitoring of roadway activity.
Roadway lighting — Roadway and underpass lighting was removed and upgraded.
Architectural lighting – Completely new installation of lights on the “high bridge” helped increase safety and enhanced aesthetic beauty.
Aviation and navigational lighting — Lighting was installed on the bridge creating greater visibility for aircraft and industrial ship traffic through the Calumet River and Calumet Harbor.
Toll plaza upgrade — Created an open road tolling system and installed new lighting.