proposed changes to Jackson Park

What do you think about the proposal by the Obama Foundation to close a portion of Cornell Drive and Marquette Road through Jackson, in conjunction with the Obama Presidential Library?

I have long loathed the Cornell speedway, and Marquette to a lesser degree. Personally, I'd love to see Cornell closed to car traffic through the park, though I suspect that wouldn't fly, because the major reason for its existence is as a connector between Lake Shore Drive and the Skyway.

A road diet with the addition of bike lanes on both Cornell and Marquette could be a very good option.  What's your $0.02?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-willis-tower-kamin...

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Paul Fitz, Scrabblor on February 9, 2017 at 10:03am

and yet here we are...

Permalink Reply by Patricia Unsinn on February 9, 2017 at 2:02pm
Permanently closing streets would cause more problems than it would solve but more bike lanes are definitely needed. In the Hyde Park Kenwood area, there are no north-south bike lanes between the lakefront and Drexel. Many people ride on the sidewalk on Lake Park between 47th and 55th because they do not feel safe in the street, but this only creates a hazard for pedestrians.
Permalink Reply by Derrick James on February 10, 2017 at 12:23am
Cornell Drive is a speedway that degrades the park and limits its use as a community asset. The combined Stony Island - Cornell Drive must be a remnant from before there was a Dan Ryan Expressway. The entire corridor needs to be re-envisioned and calmed. Stony Island -Cornell is akin to a surface expressway dividing the community. As a pedestrian it's daunting to cross. I feel especially bad for those trying to cross between 67th and 70th where it's as wide as The Kennedy Expressway including the reversible lanes. Here're my suggestions. 1. Reduce Cornell to 2 lanes in each direction with a landscaped median. 2. Close it to vehicle traffic entirely on weekends between 9am and 4:30pm so neighborhood residents from the west can get to the Wooded Island and lagoons without getting creamed. 3. Reconfigure and calm the Marquette-Stony Island-66th intersection as the one where Cornell enters Stony Island. That will allow 67th and Stony Island to revert to a simple two way intersection making it easier for the residents in the apartments east of Stony Island to cross to the Walgreens. 4. Narrow Stony Island throughout (all the way to 95th!) to two lanes in each direction. This will get rid of the two choke points under railroads at 79th and 95th. All this thru traffic should be on the Dan Ryan, not in our neighborhood. This will maximize the attractiveness of the medians, make the street more pleasant for the community and a nicer place to patronize business. A nicer street could even attract new residential construction to infill vacant retail. 5. Get rid of the Skyway ramps at 79th. Their looming darkness is killing vibrancy at what should be a lively corner. I'm tired of my community being a high speed pass through for Indianans seeking lower taxes.
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on November 6, 2017 at 1:23am

I would LOVE to see that section of Cornell closed to car traffic. That would improve the part a lot.

Permalink Reply by curt(is) locke on November 5, 2017 at 4:50pm

In contrast the Loyal Opposition here in Hyde Park, I totally support the elimination of the flyway that is Cornell Drive in Jackson Park.

Permalink Reply by Bruce on November 5, 2017 at 5:23pm

Not sure who that loyal opposition is but I live almost across the street from the proposed OPC and I also completely support closing the flyway that is Cornell Drive.

Permalink Reply by curt(is) locke on November 5, 2017 at 7:15pm

The NIMBY Old Guard, who oppose any change in Hyde Park yet consider themselves true progressives.

Permalink Reply by Argonne69 on November 6, 2017 at 3:49am

The current redesign of the Jackson Park Golf Course calls for the closing of Marquette between Stony and Richardson, so I don't see any bike paths in its future.

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