Final phase of Navy Pier Flyover

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-biz-viz-navy-pier-flyover-fi...

I want to be at the ribbon cutting ceremony and eat bacon.

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Permalink Reply by Phillip Hutchinson on April 22, 2019 at 6:32am

19,500 cars per day in 6 lanes of lower LSD = 66 feet of space

100,000 bikes/peds per day on a busy summer weekend = 16 feet of space

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Permalink Reply by herdingbats on April 22, 2019 at 7:50am

@Philip Hutchinson, I came back to post exactly that. (I know it's not exactly apples-to-apples; the 100,000 bikes/day might be an estimate for the whole path, but still.)

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Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on April 22, 2019 at 3:13pm

I think the length estimate is in the ballpark. I've seen it referred to as a third of a mile and three blocks. I think the flyover alone was originally supposed to cost about $60 million. Add in the interminable delays and the inadequate planning, as well as the coziness between the city and the contractors, and I'll bet we're up to $80 million by now, easy. We may never know.

I remember that when they built Millennium Park, the millennium arrived with barely a spade of dirt having been turned, but nearly all the money having somehow been spent. By the time the park opened four years later, the cost had ballooned from $150 million to $475 million. It's called The Chicago Way.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on April 28, 2019 at 8:09am

Traditionally, Chicago has not had a democratic government, but has been the kingdom of the Daleys, with the Burkes and Cullertons and Mells and so forth being squires with their own fiefdoms. Maybe the situation will change a bit now.

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Permalink Reply by Tricolor on April 23, 2019 at 8:17am

I doubt any direction markers for the bridge will apply during tourist season, but at least they still seem to plan going through with it. From the way things look I thought they were going to give up and have the flyover join the current sidewalk just before the bridge house.

That long descent to the trail northbound will result in some spectacular crashes.

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Permalink Reply by Phillip Hutchinson on April 24, 2019 at 5:02am

I have achieved max Divvy speed on that ramp several times. It's awesome when there is a huge tailwind, and will be terrifying when the lakefront is packed.