Chicago streets turned into car-free areas

[mrsman]

I'm all in favor of this concept, although I don't see it being as successful as the Minneapolis and Denver examples. And I wouldn't want the streets that border Wrigley Field closed at all, because then, how would Cubs fans who don't live in the neighborhood get to the games?

Henry, I am not saying to close Clark or Addison around Wrigley. Besides, if you are wise when driving to the game, you go to DeVry by Addison and Western, park for $6 and take the free shuttle to the ballpark. I've found that is the best way to do it if not taking the Red Line.

Waveland is used to access some private parking lots, but it appears that the block of Sheffield between Addison and Waveland doesn't access any private driveways and only provides a small handful of on-street parking spaces.  A perfect candidate for a pedestrianized street.

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

As an avid car and driving enthusiast, I staunchly oppose conversion to a "car-free area" of any area that cars presently roam.  As a truck driver, I staunchly oppose roads being converted to pedestrian traffic if I could otherwise take that road.  I, like most drivers for larger companies, am paid on a mileage model, not the odometer, so any driving I have to do above and beyond what the mileage model says is done for free.  (I oppose trucks being banned from certain roads for absolutely no reason other than whiny residents for the same reason. Glendale-Milford Road between Plainfield Road and Reading road in Evendale and Blue Ash in the Cincinnati metro is a perfect example of this.)  Thus, any detour I have to do over an ultimately bullshit reason that adds more than a handful of miles pisses me off.

[froggie]

over an ultimately bullshit reason

This is highly debatable, depending on the specific situation.  But popular pedestrian malls certainly contribute much to city life, not to mention tax coffers.  Much more on a per-acre basis than a sprawling WalMart Supercenter (this was documented a few years ago).

[Brandon]

over an ultimately bullshit reason

This is highly debatable, depending on the specific situation.  But popular pedestrian malls certainly contribute much to city life, not to mention tax coffers.  Much more on a per-acre basis than a sprawling WalMart Supercenter (this was documented a few years ago).

Froggie, you really needed to see State Street as it was in the 1980s.  It was dead.

[froggie]

Brandon, as you well know, city vibe is a lot different now than it was 30 years ago.

[Brandon]

Brandon, as you well know, city vibe is a lot different now than it was 30 years ago.

Yes, with fewer people than it had 30 years ago.  And it isn't all that different.  It's just as violent, just as troubled, and just as problematic outside of "Daleyland".  Welcome to the South and West Sides.  Not all of Chicago is River North and Wrigleyville.

[mrsman]

Brandon, as you well know, city vibe is a lot different now than it was 30 years ago.

Yes, with fewer people than it had 30 years ago.  And it isn't all that different.  It's just as violent, just as troubled, and just as problematic outside of "Daleyland".  Welcome to the South and West Sides.  Not all of Chicago is River North and Wrigleyville.

Yes, but they aren't proposing to do any of the pedestrian plazas on the South and West Sides.  They're looking at the Loop and surrounding yuppifying neighborhoods like the Loop, River North, and Wrigleyville.

[mrsman]

As an avid car and driving enthusiast, I staunchly oppose conversion to a "car-free area" of any area that cars presently roam.  As a truck driver, I staunchly oppose roads being converted to pedestrian traffic if I could otherwise take that road.  I, like most drivers for larger companies, am paid on a mileage model, not the odometer, so any driving I have to do above and beyond what the mileage model says is done for free.  (I oppose trucks being banned from certain roads for absolutely no reason other than whiny residents for the same reason. Glendale-Milford Road between Plainfield Road and Reading road in Evendale and Blue Ash in the Cincinnati metro is a perfect example of this.)  Thus, any detour I have to do over an ultimately bullshit reason that adds more than a handful of miles pisses me off.

In most cases the streets that are becoming car-free don't have much traffic anyway and many already prohibit trucks.

I'd also say, let's look at each project on a case by case basis.  If a conversion would cause traffic tie-ups then it shouldn't be done.  But there are a lot of streets that don't get too much traffic and can be either narrowed or converted into a plaza without significant adverse consequences

[Brandon]

Brandon, as you well know, city vibe is a lot different now than it was 30 years ago.

Yes, with fewer people than it had 30 years ago.  And it isn't all that different.  It's just as violent, just as troubled, and just as problematic outside of "Daleyland".  Welcome to the South and West Sides.  Not all of Chicago is River North and Wrigleyville.

Yes, but they aren't proposing to do any of the pedestrian plazas on the South and West Sides.  They're looking at the Loop and surrounding yuppifying neighborhoods like the Loop, River North, and Wrigleyville.

Basically, "Daleyland", not the real Chicago.