You deserve a better Du Sable Lake Shore Drive.
The lakefront is one of our most cherished treasures, serving a critical role in Chicagoans’ access to nature, recreation and mobility.
Right now, the Illinois Department of Transportation is working with the city on future plans for Du Sable Lake Shore Drive – a project that will have impact for generations to come.
Because the lakefront is so important in countless Chicagoans’ daily lives, it’s imperative to get this right. And we’ll be frank: IDOT is getting it very wrong.
Truth is: what we have now is a highway bisecting a park – a terrible use of our lakefront.
IDOT says this 80 year old infrastructure needs replacing, and they’ve penned the project as “Redefine the Drive” but what they’re really doing is ensuring this remains a highway for generations to come.
In those 80 years we’ve learned the kind of impact highways have on neighborhoods and our climate. We know that they are dirty, dangerous, and destructive.
And we have one right on the edge of our drinking water – while we’re neck-deep in a climate crisis.
A better future
is possible.
Imagine a future where the drive is now part of the city grid – prioritizing the efficient movement of people through a variety of transportation options, not just cars.
Picture a boulevard: protected bike lanes and dedicated lanes for one-seat public transit – connecting South Shore and Rogers Park to jobs and each other in ways they’ve never been before.
We don’t have to repeat the planning mistakes of the past – we have the power to create our own future.
What do San Francisco, Rochester, Seattle, and Seoul have in common? They’ve all successfully replaced highways with boulevards, neighborhoods, and nature parks.
It’s Chicago’s turn. Let’s pressure IDOT to go back to the drawing board and deliver what we deserve.
We’re in the news about it.
10/23/20 Streetsblog Chicago: Better Streets launches campaign to force LSD planners back to the drawing board
10/22/20 WTTW: North Lake Shore Drive’s in Line for an Overhaul, and Planners Want Your Input
10/13/20 CBS Chicago: Plans To Alter Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive Hit A Bump: ‘They’re Proposing To Rebuild More Of The Same’