The 7.8-mile-long Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge was built in 1958 to connect the Indiana Toll Road to the Dan Ryan Expressway in Illinois. Its elegant toll plaza serves as an iconic gateway between the two states, defined by a steel canopy, neon signage, and stainless steel toll booths. As communications and transportation technology evolved through the following decades, the toll plaza was continuously retrofitted with new devices and fittings, impeding service speed and traffic flow, and obscuring the original design of the structure.

The Chicago Skyway canopy restoration project, led by SOM, carefully returns the structure to its original form while modernizing its tolling technology. Old cameras, antennae, and other attachments are replaced by new, streamlined technology for more convenient and efficient toll services. LED lighting and digital signage, attached by custom steel brackets, are housed in a truss that spans 34 feet between the existing canopy columns. The signage and overall communication system, designed by SOM, relies on color and universal text to clearly communicate payment method and lane use, while conforming with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Device (MUTCD) standards. The roof of the canopy is designed to incorporate photovoltaic panels to provide 100 percent of the energy required to run the toll plaza.

Originally built by the City of Chicago to better connect the region, the Chicago Skyway is a critical transit asset for the entire metropolitan area. By preserving the original canopy design, removing obsolete additions, and incorporating new technologies, the Chicago Skyway canopy restoration allows for safer and more efficient tolling and regional transportation.