[Image: Peoria Street Flickr Set/Steven Vance]
Architectural professional Ryan Lakes and alternative transportation reporter Steven Vance produced an appealing vision for a pedestrian transformation of Peoria Street between UIC and the West Loop back in February. Work has commenced on the Circle Interchange reconstruction, but IDOT hasn't entirely nailed down a redesign for this two-block stretch of Peoria. According to the Pedestrian Street plan's authors, in an email forwarded to Curbed, IDOT's latest iteration (at bottom) appears to have adopted some of the alternate pitch's principles including a rethinking of curb cuts and sidewalks, a shrinking of road and parking space devoted to cars, and a degree of pedestrianization. Other elements of the more generous Pedestrian Street plan include street furniture, permeable pavement, bike parking, and a raised intersection at Van Buren. Vance and Lakes appeal to IDOT and UIC to further reduce the vehicular share of the roadway and advance some daring aesthetics. Ultimately, they see this as a real opportunity to make good on UIC's Master Plan and "create the gateway that connects the West Loop neighborhood... the CTA Blue Line station, and the east campus."
·Peoria Street Pedestrian Street [official]
·Circle Interchange, Final Evaluation (pdf) [IDOT]
·Circle Interchange Coverage [Curbed Chicago]
[Image: Peoria Street Flickr Set/Steven Vance]
[Image: Peoria Street Flickr Set/Steven Vance]
[Image: Peoria Street Flickr Set/Steven Vance]
[Image: Peoria Street Flickr Set/Steven Vance]
[Image: Peoria Street Flickr Set/Steven Vance]
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