Lake Shore Drive Reconstruction in progress- a snapshot 2003 with complete schedule, maps: This is not current material This page brought to you by Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference Parks and Transportation Committees, HPKCC's website, www.hydepark.org and Jackson Park Advisory Council. Join the Conference!

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Here:

• Map and progress report, summer 2003
• How to get to the Music Court lot (to Bowling Green, 59th Marina, Bob-o-link Meadow, Darrow Bridge, Wooded Island/Osaka Garden)
• Overall project schedule and back links

www.cityofchicago.org/Transportation/lsd

slsd@cityofchicago.org; 311; TTY 312 744-7215

Note that Coast Guard is reopened 67th to Hayes while Marquette is closed Jeffery/Coast Guard to Richards and Richards closed at the Golden Lady..

Kemper Lesnick for CDOT

From Summer, 2003 CDOT Update:

New roadway, amenities emerging

The results of the South Lake Shore Drive project are really taking shape. Deep excavations now are starting to look like underpasses. New traffic lanes are replacing the 80-year-old patchwork of pavement along the lakefront. Concrete and asphalt are being removed to make way for green spaces.

By the end of 2003, all the road work will be done. Other work, such as landscaping and pathway installation, will continue in to early 2004, but is expected to have much less impact on traffic.

Significant work completed to date:

• Reconstruction of all southbound lanes of South Lake Shore Drive from 23rd St. to 57th Dr.
• Reconstruction of nearly all of the northbound lanes from 57th Street to 23rd Street.
• Installation of virtually al of a new storm sewer system.
• Replacement of the 31st Street Bridge near McCormick Place.
• Reconstruction of the 55th Street Underpass in Burnham Park.
• Reconstruction of Hayes Dr. (6300 south) including realignment of its intersection with South Lake Shore Drive at the 63rd Street Beach House.
• Reconstruction of Coast Guard Drive between Marquette Drive and Hayes Drive.
• Reconstruction and restoration of historic Animal Bridge in Jackson Park.
• Reopening of the channel to the Inner Harbor of Jackson Park.
• Reconstruction of Jeffery Drive.
• Construction of more than 75 percent of the architecturally detailed median barrier walls between 23re Street and 57th Drive.
• Installation of more than half of new roadway lighting.

Summer 2003 Construction

• South Lake Shore Drive from 23rd St. to 57th Dr. in Burnham Park. Traffic: Three lanes open in each direction between 23rd St. and 47th St., though non-rush hour lane closures should be expected. Two lanes open in each direction between 47th St. and 57th Dr. Work: New median barrier [Chicago Wall] wall construction, roadway lighting installation and landscape restoration. Completion: July 2003.
  
• Southbound Lake Shore Drive from 57th Drive to Marquette Drive (6600 south) in Jackson Park. Traffic: Southbound traffic will continue to detour by turning right (west) onto 57th Dr.; left (south) onto Cornell Dr.; and then south to Hayes Dr. at Stony Island Ave. Work: Construction of roadway, sewer, and pedestrian/bike underpasses at 57th Dr., 59th St., 63rd st., and Marquette Dr. Completion: September, 2003.
  
• Marquette Drive (660 south) from Lake Shore Drive (Coast Guard Drive) to 67th Street near La Rabida Children's Hospital in Jackson Park. Traffic: Two lanes open for eastbound traffic only. Westbound traffic will detour west on 67th Street to Jeffery Drive; then north on Jeffery Drive to Marquette Drive. Access to La Rabida will be maintained via a temporary entrance from eastbound Marquette Dr. Work: Construction of roadway, including signalized access to La Rabida Children's Hospital campus. Completion: late September, 2003 at earliest.
  Update: closed west of Jeffery/Coast Guard to Richards, Richards closed at Golden Lady
  
• Bicycle and pedestrian path from 23rd Street to 67th Street. Main trail reopened except along Marquette Drive. Access is maintained with detours to and from temporary paths especially at underpass construction.
  
• Traffic: . Work: construction of 57th Dr., 59th t., 63rd St., and Marquette dr. underpasses, sea walls and pedestrian walkways on the Animal Bridge and along Marquette Drive and South Lake shore Drive. Completion: 2004. Updates: www.cityofchicago.org/Transportation
  
• Area Attractions and Parking. CTA service and access to museums, cultural sites, parks, beaches, hospitals and schools will be maintained. Access to most lots and limited street parking will be maintained.

Finishing touches planned

The nearly completed roadway work sets the stage for the start of a major landscape plan. Over the next year thousands of trees, shrubs, perennials and ornamental grasses will be planted. Through 2004, these areas will include:

• New and existing green spaces in Burnham and Jackson Parks will be enhanced with trees, bushes, perennials, and ornamental grasses. That includes:
  • Median landscaping between 23rd and 51st Streets .
  • Gateway landscaping at 31st street and a t Oakwood Blvd. bridges.
  • Landscaping at the new pedestrian underpasses in Jackson Park.
• Completion of pedestrian/bike underpasses at 57th Drive, 59th Street, 63rd Street, and Marquette Drive. The underpasses will:
  • Include updated paths, architectural finishes and landscaping.
  • Be fully accessible to people with disabilities.
• Addition of a boardwalk along 57th Street Beach.
• Reconstruction of parking lots along the east side of the Museum of Science and Industry, the Music Court and the northwest corner of Hayes and Lake Shore Drive.
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How to get to the Music Court lot

Note on the map below that coming from South Shore you must use 67th and Jeffery to access the Drive (Coast Guard); Marquette westbound is closed from South Shore Drive to Jeffery. From Marquette/Coast Guard, you can go all the way north, but cannot exit between Science/58th and 47th. Also, you cannot get to the Music Court southeast of the Museum except by the route shown and not from the north side of the Museum. From the north side of the Museum, unless you turn around and use Hyde Park, you can only go onto right onto eastbound 57th, thence northbound on the Drive, first exit 47th.

The Drive between Marquette and Hayes/63rd should now be black with white arrows northbound only.

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SOUTH LAKE SHORE DRIVE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE 2001-2004
(Source: Chicago Department of Transportation,
Edwards & Kelcey. Released July 27, 2001. Actual has been quite close, but sometimes behind temporarily.)

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