Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about Uptown

Leland Greenway Will Debut Traffic Diverters & Bikeable Speed Humps

By Steven Vance | Jun 3, 2014 | 5 Comments

The Chicago Department of Transportation has proposed to build the city’s first-ever traffic diverters and bike-friendly speed humps, as part of the Leland Avenue neighborhood greenway through Uptown. The traffic diverter at Beacon will block cut-through car traffic, making Leland a quieter, more comfortable street for bicyclists. Speed humps would replace stop signs, and feature a […]

Uptown Residents Brainstorm Ideas for Redeveloping Vacant Land

By Shaun Jacobsen | May 9, 2014 | 13 Comments

It’s an exciting time to be in Uptown. The Broadway streetscape and road diet, which will hopefully be completed within a few months, as well as the reconstruction of the Wilson ‘L’ station have the potential to transform the center of the neighborhood. This potential has not gone unnoticed by the Metropolitan Planning Council. On […]

Mapped: Where Most Chicagoans Don’t Own Cars

By Steven Vance | Jan 29, 2014 | 46 Comments

A new interactive map shows what transportation mode people use to get to work in each neighborhood in Chicago, while also identifying the share of Chicagoans who don’t own cars. Shaun Jacobsen — who writes the Transitized blog and occasionally freelances for Streetsblog — created “How Chicago Commutes” to show that many residents will benefit more from […]

Parking Minimums at Work: Uptown Tower Must Build 554 Parking Spots

By Shaun Jacobsen | Jan 27, 2014 | 54 Comments

At the site of the former Cuneo Hospital and Maryville Academy in Uptown, slated to be demolished shortly, JDL Development has proposed building 749 apartments in two buildings, along with 30,000 square feet of retail space. In addition, 554 parking spaces will be constructed, the minimum required by Chicago’s zoning code. Of these spaces, 65 […]

When Removing a Pedestrian Street Designation, Proceed With Caution

By Shaun Jacobsen | Oct 4, 2013 | 20 Comments

Shaun Jacobsen is the author of Transitized. Last June, 46th ward Alderman James Cappleman proposed removing the Pedestrian Street designation on six blocks radiating from the intersection of Broadway and Lawrence in Uptown. The proposed removal raised some eyebrows. Was a developer planning to build something that wouldn’t fit the criteria of a P-Street, like a […]

Eyes on the Street: Bus Stop Benches Removed to Prevent Loitering

By Steven Vance | Aug 29, 2013 | 15 Comments

Alternate headline: “Bus Stop Benches Removed to Prevent Passengers From Being Comfortable While Waiting for the Bus.” A reader reports that an unknown number of benches in Uptown — some inside CTA bus stop shelters — have been removed in an attempt to reduce loitering. “A lot of businesses asked us to remove some of the […]

Mix of Protected and Buffered Bike Lanes Slated for Busy Broadway

By Steven Vance | Aug 1, 2013 | 48 Comments

The Chicago Department of Transportation will redesign Broadway between Montrose and Foster, a mile-long stretch that’s currently a very car-centric four- to five-lane road. The street is so inhospitable that one resident at a public meeting Wednesday night said she doesn’t drive, walk, or bike on it. The agency failed to make a “complete street” […]

Let’s Be Clear: Uptown Doesn’t Need More Parking

By Steven Vance | Jul 23, 2013 | 20 Comments

Appearing on WGN/CLTV in May, 46th Ward Alderman James Cappleman said that “we’re doing everything we can to create more parking spaces.” Cappleman was talking about the renovation of the Uptown Theater at 4816 N Broadway and its parking requirements. His boast about adding more parking caught me off-guard, and I wasn’t alone. Jerry Michaelson, CEO of JAM […]

Should Uptown Pedestrian Street Zoning Be Completely Removed for Ads?

By Steven Vance | Jun 20, 2013 | 12 Comments

The Pedestrian Street, or P-Street, designation is a zoning tool to ensure that a street will remain safe and pleasant to walk on. It dictates, for example, that buildings should have have convenient pedestrian access and engaging ground floors, with human-scale entrances located on the main street, close to the sidewalk, and street-level windows. 46th […]