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It’s easy to curse the road gods for that pothole right outside your apartment, so you’ll be happy to learn Chicago’s putting a lot of time and money into walkable and bikeable transportation projects. Here are some handy highlights from the Chicago Tribune’s comprehensive list that will help you ditch the car more often:
The 606 (pictured): Snow be damned, CDOT is hard at work on this 2.7-mile park and trail system following Bloomingdale Avenue on the Northwest Side. (A similar idea to NYC’s High Line, it sits atop an old elevated railway spur). Expect an opening this summer.
Bus Rapid Transit: We know new IDOT secretary Randy Blankenhorn is a fan. Construction is imminent on the Loop’s $32M of BRT stations and bus-only lanes on Madison and Washington (leading to a planned $43M terminal at Union Station). Things should be up and running by the end of this year.
The Riverwalk: The section between State and LaSalle should open to the public this year, CDOT says. After all is said and done with the $100M project, including commercial development from State to Lake, you’ll have a 1.25-mile walkway from Lake Shore Drive to Lake Street.
Divvy: The bike-sharing program will expand by 175 docking stations and 1,750 bikes this spring (for a total of 475 stations and 4,750 bikes). It will also launch in Oak Park and Evanston.
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