Reopening of crosswalk boosts safety at major Chicago tourist attraction

The Active Transportation Alliance applauds the reopening of crosswalk between Buckingham Fountain and lakefront

 

In a move that demonstrates City of Chicago’s commitment to making Chicago a safer and easier place for people to walk, the Chicago Department of Transportation is restoring the crosswalk that connects to two iconic public spaces: Buckingham Fountain and the Queen’s Landing.

November 24, Thanksgiving Day, marked the reopening of the crosswalk.

In 2005, the city ripped out the crosswalk connecting these two places with the intention of speeding up traffic on Lakeshore Drive.

Instead of crossing Lakeshore Drive at Buckingham Fountain, people had to walk a quarter mile to either Balboa Avenue or Jackson Avenue to cross the multi-lane thoroughfare.

“The natural place for people to walk once they reach Buckingham Fountain is to the lakefront,” said Ron Burke, executive director of the Active Transportation Alliance. “Reopening the crosswalk shows that Mayor Emanuel and Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Klein take pedestrian safety very seriously.”

Over the past summer, two young men attending Lollapalooza sustained serious-to-critical injuries when they were struck by motorists while attempting to cross Lakeshore Drive at Buckingham Fountain.

Given that Chicago sees, on average, about 3,000 pedestrian crashes a year, much work must be done to improve safety for people who walk in Chicago, said Burke. 

“We need to ensure our streets are comfortable and safe for everyone,” said Burke.
“A pedestrian-friendly environment livens our streets and neighborhoods, strengthens local businesses, creates safer neighborhoods, provides access to jobs and leads to healthier Chicagoans.”

Burke said the city’s commitment to making Chicago more pedestrian friendly is also demonstrated by the creation of the Chicago Pedestrian Plan, expected to be released in the spring.

The reopened crosswalk will be ADA-compliant, with curb ramps and lowered pedestrian buttons. The site will also include pedestrian countdowns, to help pedestrians make informed decisions before attempting to cross without being temporarily stopped at the median.

The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit, member-based advocacy organization that works to make bicycling, walking and public transit so safe, convenient and fun that we will achieve a significant shift from environmentally harmful, sedentary travel to clean, active travel. The organization builds a movement around active transportation, encourages physical activity, increases safety and builds a world-class transportation network. The Active Transportation Alliance is North America’s largest transportation advocacy organization, supported by nearly 7,000 members, 1,000 volunteers and 40 full-time staff. For more information on the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call 312.427.3325.