North DuSable Lake Shore Drive project: Here are the basics

 by Michelle Stenzel

This post will get you up to speed on the Redefine the Drive - North DuSable Lake Shore Drive project, at least just the basics. I've been a member of a geographic stakeholder task force since 2013. I'm reviving this blog in order to share information on this important project. (Although I hope to be posting about topics other than this one as well.) 

Late afternoon on the Lakefront Trail in December 2021.

The North DuSable Lake Shore Drive project looks to redesign and rebuild seven miles of that street from Grand Avenue near Navy Pier to Hollywood, where DLSD ends and meets up with Sheridan Road. DLSD is US Route 41, and it's fully within the boundaries of the city of Chicago, but it's under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Department of Transportation. IDOT regularly consults with other agencies but they consider it to be "their" project.

The project scope includes the NLSD roadway itself, all ramps and intersections, the Lakefront Trail, and some adjoining park space. It's an enormous undertaking, given the 7-mile length, and the complexity of structure and interests involved.

Lake Shore Drive and the Lakefront Trail along Streeterville, in 2014.

There is a task force of about 70 people from stakeholders like non-profits Active Transportation Alliance, Metropolitan Planning Council, and Friend of the Parks as well as residents from areas close to DLSD.  In 13 task force meetings over the past eight or so years, the IDOT project team presents data and plans, and we give them feedback. 

There have been four general public meetings so far for the project, and that's frankly not enough for such a huge project with far-reaching implications.

The original timeline said it would take three years to reach the Preferred Alternative, but we're nearly nine years into the project already. 

Just in March 2022, an updated timeline was posted on the project website indicating that a Preferred Design Alternative will be chosen by the end of this year. I think that's very optimistic, given the scope and complexity of the project, and the fact that the public hasn't had sufficient input on the options. 

My lay person guess is that it will be 1-2 years to get to a decision, 2-4 years for approvals, design and funding, and 10+ years to build. Hello, 2040!

What has been decided so far? Certain designs seemingly have been ruled out, like a Florida-style causeway soaring over Lake Michigan.

Other things seem to be on the drawing board under a fairly broad consensus, and those are called Baseline Improvements on the project website.  They include addition of new access points for people walking/biking, like the new underpass proposed just south of Fullerton, illustrated below.

Another Baseline Improvement is filling in lake shore to create new parkland along Streeterville and the Gold Coast. I'll do a separate post on the Baseline Improvements.

A very big determination not yet made is the design of the actual roadway. These five alternative designs are still being put forth. I'll do another thread on those as well.

If you want to do a deeper dive into this project right now, there are MANY slide show presentations, PDFs of individual intersections, illustrations and maps on the project website: 

NorthDuSableLakeShoreDrive.org

If you would like to give the IDOT project team your opinions, they ask you to e-mail them at:

info@ndlsd.org

I know that looks like a burner address where e-mails go to die, but I can assure you it is actively managed by project team members.

Stay tuned for much more on this topic!

Update on the Redesign North Lake Shore Drive project

by Michelle Stenzel

The Illinois Department of Transportation is continuing the massive Redesign North Lake Shore Drive project. Task force members recently got an update from the project team, and you can view the presentation and all accompanying materials on the project web page at this link. You'll see: It's 117 slides, and a lot of information. I am a huge fan of infrastructure and an enthusiastic participant in a residents task force for the project, but I still found it somewhat overwhelming. Think of how much thought and discussion by engineers, city planners and neighborhood residents goes into changes at a single intersection or building site, and this project corridor is a full seven miles long. Nevertheless, I'll try to provide a brief general summary in this post.

Keep in mind that I'm on the Grand to Diversey Residents' Task Force and that's Bike Walk Lincoln Park's primary (although not sole) area of interest, so that's what I'll focus on in this post. However, there is plenty of information available about the four-mile stretch from Diversey to Hollywood as well, and I encourage you to view all the project documents yourself for those details.

We're already about three years into the project, and Bike Walk Lincoln Park supporters previously submitted our list of problems that we believe should be addressed during the redesign process.

At the recent update meeting, the project team provided illustrations of three alternative concepts:

Much more after the jump ----->

Review of the new Fullerton shoreline improvements

by Michelle Stenzel

The year-long Fullerton Revetment Project has wrapped up, and officially opened for public use once again. The main purpose of the undertaking was to improve the shoreline, and protect infrastructure and the Theater on the Lake from the lake water.

The view of the Chicago skyline from the edge of the new Fullerton revetment. (Photo: Bike Walk Lincoln Park)

The plan for the Fullerton Revetment Project.

A large portion of the lake has been filled in to provide nearly six acres of new park space. There’s new grass, sapling trees, and giant prairie stones that provide seating.  

Six acres of new parkland at Fullerton. (Photo: Bike Walk Lincoln Park)

The whole area feels a lot bigger, with more room the just breathe and relax. With the great views of the downtown skyline, I’m predicting this new parkland will become a popular spot for wedding and portrait photographers to bring their clients. Public space along the lakefront is precious and well-used, and this is definitely a valuable addition to the shoreline.

How to safely ride to the Bloomingdale Trail

by Michelle Stenzel

We’re very excited for the June 6^th opening of the Bloomingdale Trail. This new 2.7-mile long elevated trail and the adjacent 606 park system will be a great asset to the neighborhoods it runs through, providing new green space as well as a low-stress transportation route between Bucktown/Wicker Park and Logan Square/Humboldt Park.

Taken from the Bloomingdale Trail website.

Here’s a map of the Bloomingdale Trail's access points:

Taken from the 606 website.

What’s particularly exciting to us is that the easternmost part of the trail is very close to Lincoln Park! For people living in the area of Armitage and Racine, the Walsh Park access point (in yellow on the map above) is less than one mile away. Even for people living in Lincoln Park’s northeast corner, near Diversey and Lake Shore Drive, the distance is less than three miles, a mere 20-minute bike ride. We know many Lincoln Park residents and visitors will want to visit the Bloomingdale Trail regularly, so the question is, which mode of transportation will you use to get there? You’re not going to drive, are you?  (More -->)

Our narrow, beloved Lakefront Trail takes a beating and gets TLC

by Michelle Stenzel

I've taken a lot of pictures of the Lakefront Trail in the last few weeks. It started one day in October, when I found myself on the 70th floor of Lake Point Tower for the first time, and I looked down and saw that famous landmark, beloved recreational and commuting route, and enormous point of pride for all of Chicago, the mighty Lakefront Trail:

What, you can't see it? It's right there! Okay, let me zoom in a little for you:

It's not that 16-lane wide mass of concrete taking up most of the right side of the photo -- it's that thin ribbon of asphalt to its left!
(More -->)

Thinking big for a better Lake Shore Drive

by Michelle Stenzel

Readers of this blog know that the North Lake Shore Drive re-design process is well underway. (Links for background reading are provided at the end of this post.) The process of identifying problems with the current state is now concluded, and the next step is submitting specific ideas for how to solve the problems.

John Krause, an architect and long-time supporter of Bike Walk Lincoln Park, has laid out his vision for how we can make this important part of our city work better for all users, and he's looking for feedback. You can see his entire proposal for North Lake Shore Drive at this link to a PDF. (John is the  Executive Director of Chicago Streetcar Renaissance, and he'll be presenting his plan for streetcars in Chicago at the Transport Chicago conference at UIC on June 6th.)

Redefine The Drive vision for North Lake Shore Drive by John Krause of Chicago Streetcar Renaissance.

John doesn't think small. And why should he? If we do it right, this project has the real potential to transform the way Chicago residents interact with our lakeside parks, to enhance the natural beauty of the shoreline, and at the same time to improve the way we transport ourselves to and through the corridor.

I've posted screen shots of the four North Lake Shore Drive segments below from John's proposal. Some of the highlights of the plan include:

• LSD dips downward at most junctions to allow the cross street to cross at grade;

• New junctions at Division, Diversey and Addison to relieve motor vehicle backups at the existing junctions;

• Lakefront light rail runs through the middle of the corridor from Michigan Avenue and Oak Street all the way to Hollywood;

• East-west buses connect to the lakefront and the light rail stations;

• LSD is re-routed north of LaSalle Drive onto Cannon Drive and then onto "inner North Lake Shore Drive", all the way to Belmont.

Our suggestions for a better Lake Shore Drive Need Statement

by Michelle Stenzel

Last week, a number of citizens concerned about the future of North Lake Shore Drive met to discuss the Purpose and Need Statement draft released recently by the North Lake Shore Drive project team. We found much to like in the draft statement, but also many opportunities for improvement to better frame the current problems and futures needs of people walking, bicycling and using public transit through this corridor. As we said in this prior post, the Purpose and Need Statement is very important because if a problem is not well-described in the P&N statement, then no solutions that are proposed later on can be considered. 

The Chicago Avenue pedestrian underpass on the Lakefront Trail. (Photo: Bike Walk Lincoln Park)

You can read the Draft Purpose and Need Statement here.

The full letter we've submitted as feedback to the project team is reprinted below (and viewable at this link as well). Some of the suggestions we made:

• We request that the Problem Statement in the draft be replaced with the more precise and all-encompassing Problem Statement that the seven task forces worked to produce.
• We ask that the final Purpose and Need Statement provide more data and detail about problems facing people walking, bicycling and using public transit.
• We ask the team to explicitly recognize that there is a need to move an increased number of people through the North Lake Shore Drive corridor through more efficient methods of traveling.
• We ask that the focus remain on Lake Shore Drive's status as a boulevard and not a freeway.

Another chance to speak up for Lake Shore Drive improvements

by Michelle Stenzel

North Avenue Beach pedestrian bridge at peak usage.
(Photo: Bike Walk Lincoln Park)

The North Lake Shore Drive project team has released its Draft “Purpose and Need” statement. (I know this already sounds very wonky and bureaucratic -- just stay with me for another two sentences.) A "P&N" statement should describe the current situation and the problems that are in existence, so that solutions to those problems can be addressed during the course of the project. It's an important document because if a problem is not well-described in the P&N statement, then no solutions that are proposed later on can be considered. 

When the North LSD Purpose and Need draft was released April 8th to members of the task forces and published on the project website, many of us were surprised to see included only some of the issues that had been brought up during the course of the public meetings and task force meetings of the prior eight months. Supporters of Bike Walk Lincoln Park met a few weeks ago and submitted a list of 47 specific problems that we believe exist just on the Grand Avenue-to-Diversey stretch of the project. (We received a general response letter from Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Ann Schneider, encouraging us to continue providing feedback to the project.)  -->

Forty-seven ways to improve Lake Shore Drive and the Lakefront Trail

by Michelle Stenzel

In our last blog post, we invited you to attend a grassroots meeting to discuss North Lake Shore Drive, the Lakefront Trail, and surrounding areas. Thank you to those who joined us! 

Grassroots action at its best! Discussing the North Lake Shore Drive project at CityGrounds coffee bar.
(Photo: Bike Walk Lincoln Park)

We met in order to generate a list of issues facing people from Grand Avenue to Diversey Avenue, and came up with a total of 47 opportunities for improving Lake Shore Drive and the Lakefront Trail for people walking, biking and using public transit.  (More -->)

Come help document problems with Lake Shore Drive and the Lakefront Trail!

by Michelle Stenzel

The Lakefront Trail and Lake Shore Drive are famous routes in Chicago, known for providing walkers, bicyclists and drivers good transportation and great views of Lake Michigan and the downtown skyline. 

However, the Lakefront Trail is far too narrow at many points to serve the huge number of users, and its proximity to the lake means that waves often effectively shut it down. It's lacking greenery and natural elements from Grand to North. Many of the access points are grimy, dark, and inaccessible to people with mobility issues.

The Lakefront Trail near Ohio Street Beach on a typical summer evening. (Photo: Bike Walk Lincoln Park)

Because of its broad lanes and highway-like design, Lake Shore Drive acts as a barrier between the Lakefront Trail and the residents living west of the Drive. The street's design encourages speeding, leading to a high rate of crashes and injuries: 1,100 crashes per year, just on the northern section. Although it's very wide and 69,000 riders per day ride on 9 total bus routes, Lake Shore Drive has no dedicated space for public transportation. 

In this picture, I see 74 cars carrying an estimated 93 people in the northbound lanes and on ramp. All these people would   fit into one articulated CTA bus. (Photo: Bike Walk Lincoln Park)

Fortunately, the opportunity to improve Lake Shore Drive and surrounding areas for all users is now at hand. 

In August 2013, the first public meetings were held for the "Redefine the Drive" project, which is being undertaken jointly by the Illinois and Chicago departments of transportation. The project seeks to address problems with North Lake Shore Drive and surrounding areas, and the public is invited to provide input. This is an eight-year long project, so there's much more to come.  (More -->)

A virtual ride to the lake on the new Fullerton bridge

by Michelle Stenzel

The Fullerton Parkway bridge rebuild project was completed at the end of December and I've now had a chance to view the final result a few times. My overall opinion remains the same as it was on this post in March 2012, when Michael and I first learned of the plans days before demolition began: It's unfortunate that an entire sidewalk/multi-use trail was removed at this very important access point to the Lakefront Trail because it eliminated a natural, direct, and very well-used route. 

I made a video of the route to get to the lake arriving by bike from parts west on Fullerton. It's a little rough, but I'm new at making, editing and uploading videos, so take that into account.

 

In addition to the problems I mentioned in this follow up post of missing sidewalk, missing crosswalk and wide turn radii, I note that the off ramp from Lake Shore Drive is now a double-turn lane, with just a puny stop sign that will supposedly halt the drivers who were barrelling down LSD at 45 mph only 100 yards prior, and who are eager to make a right turn and continue on their way (the offramp is seen in the video at  1:38). I'm predicting a lot of motor vehicle traffic blocking the only crosswalk we have left.   (Following added January 8, 2013:) Update! This will not be simply a stop sign permanently. They are installing a traffic signal there as we speak. See my further thoughts in the comments section below.

John Greenfield of Grid Chicago wrote an article for New City that comments on the project and quotes from this blog.

Have you been on the rebuilt bridge? What are your thoughts?

Strangely placed objects

Have you ever noticed how certain things have been placed oddly along the Lake Front Trail?

Benches provide a great place for people to sit and enjoy a little rest while taking in the peaceful nature of the lake, and the stunning scenery. Except this bench, which is not only yards from noisy Lake Shore Drive, but also directly facing an enormous tree trunk. 

A treasure trove of sculptures in Lincoln Park

by Michelle Stenzel

You may have noticed in the last few months that Lincoln Park, both the park and the neighborhood, has been flooded with new sculptures. There are new permanent sculptures installed as well as two temporary exhibits, adding up to a treasure trove of art. A warm November day is the perfect time to get out there on foot and on bike to enjoy these pieces.

"Fountain Girl" by George E. Wade has been installed in the southernmost part of Lincoln Park near the LaSalle Drive underpasses. Its original version was installed in 1921 but stolen in 1958, so it was recently replicated. In the background to the right is "Love/Embrace" by Leslie Bruning. (Photo: Bike Walk Lincoln Park)

Revisiting the unfortunate Fullerton Parkway bridge redesign

by Michelle Stenzel

The construction on the Fullerton Parkway bridge began in March and is scheduled for completion in December. I had written previously about how the project will be detrimental to people who are walking or riding a bike to the Lake Front Trail in this prior post. The information I had then was from a written description of the project provided to the public, and notes taken at a presentation I attended.

I’ve since obtained the drawings of the planned finished product so you can clearly see how this will be a step in the wrong direction for our city’s walkability and bikeability.

This shows the scope of the project:

This shows the existing conditions from an aerial view:

Lakefront Trail gets new signage and striping

by Michelle Stenzel

It's summer in Chicago, and that means peak season for traffic on the Lakefront Trail. The Lincoln Park neighborhood's section of the LFT from North Avenue to Diversey is among the heaviest used portions, usually filled with beachgoers, runners, bicyclists, and strollers.

Chicago's popular Lakefront Trail on a Friday afternoon in July, at Fullerton Avenue. (Photo: Bike Walk Lincoln Park)

Lots more after the jump!

Fullerton Parkway access to the lake front is third-highest in the city

by Michelle Stenzel

You've heard our thoughts on the Fullerton Parkway bridge project on this prior post. We have had many conversations with people on- and off-line on the topic, and in the end, we're not fully convinced that the final result will be a net gain for people walking and riding bicycles to the Lake Front Trail; however, we're going to take the positive steps of working within the confines of the project to try to make the design as pleasant as possible for users who are choosing active transportation to traverse the area. (Join us at our next Bike Walk Lincoln Park meeting on 4/16 to contribute ideas, details below.)

Pedestrians head east over the Fullerton Parkway bridge on a Sunday afternoon in March 2012, the day before demolition and removal of the sidewalk was scheduled to begin.  (Photo: Bike Walk Lincoln Park)

But today's post is to point out why this little segment of Fullerton is so important. You already know from our prior post on the subject that there is NO public transportation service on Fullerton within a mile of the Lake Front Trail, because that ends at Halsted. So, to access the trail, many people walk or ride bicycles across the bridge to the LFT. It always feels crowded, but we never knew there were statistics on the usage rates. Until now.

Share your ideas and visions for the Lake Front Trail!

by Michelle Stenzel

The Lake Front Trail is an important recreation and transportation route for all of us in Lincoln Park, and "our" little segment from North Avenue to Diversey is among the busiest of the entire 17-mile length of the trail. It's a great way to get close to Lake Michigan and enjoy our shoreline. But with thousands of users squeezed onto its narrow width, it often feels overcrowded, and sometimes dangerous, with faster-moving bicyclists and in-line skaters whizzing by too close to strolling pedestrians or runners.

Chicago's well-loved Lake Front Trail, between North Avenue and Oak Street. (Photo: Bike Walk Lincoln Park)

Did you know there's an advocacy group for the trail? Friends of the Lakefront Trail is an initiative of the Active Transportation Alliance, and they work with the Park District to ensure maintenance of the trail, monitor its conditions, and help secure funding for important trail-related projects like the new Diversey bridge installed a few years ago. 

But there's a lot more work to be done, and now's your chance to participate in shaping its future. Friends of the Lake Front Trail is holding two public meetings next month to gather community input on how to make the trail better, safer and easier to access for all users, details here. They're calling them "Visioning Workshops," so bring your visions and ideas!

Read more about the Friends of the Lakefront Trail's history and initiatives here. 

Mark the April 9 meeting on your calendar and plan to attend with us! E-mail Michelle and Michael and bikewalklincolnpark@gmail.com to let us know we should look for you there, or if it's a nice evening, maybe we can organize a (slow) group bike ride there and back.

Friends of the Lake Front Trail Visioning Workshops

North Side

April 9, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Margate Park Fieldhouse (4921 N. Marine Drive)

South Side

April 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Jackson Park Fieldhouse (6401 S. Stony Island Ave.)

Last weekend of summer

Bike.

Walk.

Swim.

Enjoy your weekend.

North Avenue Beach bike racks new and old

New configuration of usable bike racks, thanks to the city's Bicycle Program:

(Photo: BikeWalkLincolnPark)

Unusable bike rack, thanks to Mother Nature:

(Photo: BikeWalkLincolnPark)