LaSalle Drive, LSD to Clark--project begins July 26

Starting Monday, July 26, CDOT begins a project to improve LaSalle Drive from Lake Shore Drive to Clark Street—including the intersection of LaSalle Drive and Local Lake Shore Drive. The project will reconfigure the area to improve both traffic flow and the pedestrian environment.

The project will reconnect the existing islands of parkland to the main park area, adding nearly two acres of active park area.

Among the traffic improvements:

Reconfigure the intersection of LaSalle Drive and Local Lake Shore Drive to remove multiple traffic islands
Add a dedicated left-turn lane from westbound LaSalle Drive to southbound Local Lake Shore Drive
New, irrigated landscaped medians between Local Lake Shore Drive and Stockton Drive

Among the pedestrian improvements:

Create a safer pedestrian crossing at Local Lake Shore Drive by reducing the number of street crossings from three to one
Widen the sidewalk beneath the Lake Shore Drive underpass that connects Lincoln Park to North Avenue Beach
Re-deck the pedestrian underpasses beneath LaSalle Drive
New LED lighting and skylights in the pedestrian underpasses.

The $9.4 million project is fully funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the federal stimulus program.

Traffic and pedestrian impacts

Westbound LaSalle Drive will be reduced to one lane from the northbound Lake Shore Drive exit ramp to just before Stockton Drive.
Northbound and southbound Lake Shore Drive exit ramps will be reduced to one lane.
For part of the project, left turns from westbound LaSalle Drive onto Southbound Local Lake Shore Drive will be prohibited

The underpasses beneath LaSalle Drive will be alternately closed during refurbishment. Pedestrian access will be maintained through at least one underpass.

NOTE: The first phase of this project will be completed before the Chicago Air and Water Show August 14-15.

Traffic configurations will change as the project proceeds. Traffic updates will be posted on the CDOT web site.

The project is scheduled for completion in late 2011.

Rendering of improved LaSalle Drive/Local Lake Shore Drive intersection