CDOT Lake Street Bascule Bridge Proposal Design

Overview
The Lake Street Bascule Bridge, one of Chicago's most recognizable double-decker bridges, required a major structural rehabilitation to preserve the historic landmark while extending its service life for another century. Working with HNTB's pursuit team, I designed proposal materials that communicated the project's technical approach through clear layouts, custom illustrations, and visual storytelling.

The Challenge
The proposal involved explaining a highly complex construction process that included replacing bridge truss spans, coordinating multiple agencies, maintaining CTA rail operations, minimizing impacts to traffic and river navigation, and preserving the bridge's historic character. The challenge was to transform this technical information into a proposal that was easy for reviewers to understand while highlighting HNTB's expertise and approach.

Design Approach
I collaborated closely with project managers, engineers, and technical writers to understand the construction sequence and identify opportunities to communicate complex ideas visually. I designed page layouts that balanced technical content with strong visual hierarchy and created a custom illustration demonstrating the bridge's "float-in" construction process. By combining diagrams, callouts, photography, and concise messaging, I helped simplify intricate engineering concepts into a clear, engaging story.

The Solution
The final proposal featured custom graphics, thoughtfully organized layouts, and a detailed illustration that visually explained each phase of the rehabilitation process. The proposal showcased HNTB's technical expertise while making complex construction methods easier for reviewers to follow, creating a cohesive narrative from project challenges through proposed solutions.

Outcome
The proposal successfully translated complex engineering information into an engaging visual communication piece that supported the pursuit team's message. Through strategic layout design and custom information graphics, the proposal clearly demonstrated HNTB's approach while reinforcing the firm's experience delivering complex transportation infrastructure projects.