Wacker Drive Closures Begin

If you’re traveling anywhere near the Loop for the next year or so, better pack your patience.

Starting Monday morning, Upper Wacker Drive will be closed to through traffic from south of Lake Street to north of Madison, and completely shut down -- even to pedestrians -- from Randolph to just south of Washington. That closure will stay in place through the summer.

Franklin Street will be the main alternative, and as such, it’s being converted from a one-way street into a two-way.

Most of the intersections where Wacker intersects major streets will also be closed.  Lower Wacker will remain open to local traffic for the time being.

The work will be similar to what was done in 2001 and 2002 on East/West Wacker, and includes increasing the ceiling height on Lower Wacker, improving lighting and eliminating blind merges.

Whether you walk, drive, cycle or take public transportation in and around the construction area, you’re likely to have to make some changes to your daily routine, officials warn.  Thirteen bus routes are affected.

The projected should be completed in 2012.

Copyright CHIST - SunTimes
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