2019 Chicago Roadway Gribblenation Features

[Max Rockatansky]

Visited Chicago again this year and made a point at checking out some roadways that I used to frequent in the 1990s.  Given I flew into O'Hare the first major roadway I checked out was the Kennedy Expressway.  Suffice to say not much has changed with the massive traffic volumes approaching downtown east of the I-94 merge point.  Really the only major difference that was apparent was the electronic BGS signs for the eastbound express lanes.

https://www.gribblenation.org/2019/04/kennedy-expressway-interstates-90-94.html

My photo set for the Kennedy Expressway was taken over two days and can be found below.  There was a cool low cloud cover the day I flew in which obstructed some of the taller buildings such as the Sears Tower.

https://flic.kr/s/aHskTLGLS5

[edwaleni]

Visited Chicago again this year and made a point at checking out some roadways that I used to frequent in the 1990s.  Given I flew into O'Hare the first major roadway I checked out was the Kennedy Expressway.  Suffice to say not much has changed with the massive traffic volumes approaching downtown east of the I-94 merge point.  Really the only major difference that was apparent was the electronic BGS signs for the eastbound express lanes.

https://www.gribblenation.org/2019/04/kennedy-expressway-interstates-90-94.html

My photo set for the Kennedy Expressway was taken over two days and can be found below.  There was a cool low cloud cover the day I flew in which obstructed some of the taller buildings such as the Sears Tower.

https://flic.kr/s/aHskTLGLS5

I know its hard to think of it differently, but the Sears Tower is now the Willis Tower.

Mayor Rahm had signed a development deal with the Boring Company (Elon Musk) to build an express rail tunnel from O'Hare to Block 42, but my understanding is that her new honor Mayor Lightfoot will rescind it.

Seems she has a different set of political patronage priorities to work with.

[Rothman]

Sears Tower will always be the Sears Tower, just like National Airport will always be National Airport.

[Max Rockatansky]

Sears Tower will always be the Sears Tower, just like National Airport will always be National Airport.

The name just sounds off kilter to me.  Even the tour guides that were running a shuttle bus I was on had a hard time not referring to it as Sears Tower. 

[edwaleni]

Sears Tower will always be the Sears Tower, just like National Airport will always be National Airport.

Interesting, because I have never called it National, I have always called it Reagan.

I still call it Sears Tower today because if I do say "Willis Tower", no one knows what I am saying.  Not sure if saying National today gets the same effect.

Last time I hailed a cab to "Reagan Airport" he knew where to go.  Last time I said, "lets go up Willis Tower", no one knew what I meant, "you mean the Hancock or Sears" they said.

As for Mad Max's photos, looks like you came out via the rental car lot.  What is weird is that most railroads in Illinois don't use the logo mount on the bridge IDOT pays for and leaves it empty. (in the old days the RR name was painted on) but CN proudly does over I-190. Many of the rail overpasses IDOT built never used it and they sit empty today.

There are parts of that road that have some interesting history behind it.

[Rothman]

Sears Tower will always be the Sears Tower, just like National Airport will always be National Airport.

Interesting, because I have never called it National, I have always called it Reagan.

I still call it Sears Tower today because if I do say "Willis Tower", no one knows what I am saying.  Not sure if saying National today gets the same effect.

Last time I hailed a cab to "Reagan Airport" he knew where to go.  Last time I said, "lets go up Willis Tower", no one knew what I meant, "you mean the Hancock or Sears" they said.

As for Mad Max's photos, looks like you came out via the rental car lot.  What is weird is that most railroads in Illinois don't use the logo mount on the bridge IDOT pays for and leaves it empty. (in the old days the RR name was painted on) but CN proudly does over I-190. Many of the rail overpasses IDOT built never used it and they sit empty today.

There are parts of that road that have some interesting history behind it.

You have "always" called it Reagan?  You must be quite young.  The name change wasn't that long ago.

[Max Rockatansky]

Sears Tower will always be the Sears Tower, just like National Airport will always be National Airport.

Interesting, because I have never called it National, I have always called it Reagan.

I still call it Sears Tower today because if I do say "Willis Tower", no one knows what I am saying.  Not sure if saying National today gets the same effect.

Last time I hailed a cab to "Reagan Airport" he knew where to go.  Last time I said, "lets go up Willis Tower", no one knew what I meant, "you mean the Hancock or Sears" they said.

As for Mad Max's photos, looks like you came out via the rental car lot.  What is weird is that most railroads in Illinois don't use the logo mount on the bridge IDOT pays for and leaves it empty. (in the old days the RR name was painted on) but CN proudly does over I-190. Many of the rail overpasses IDOT built never used it and they sit empty today.

There are parts of that road that have some interesting history behind it.

Your assumption was correct, I started east on Kennedy from US 12/45 at the rental car facility.  The irony is that I did technically clinch all of Kennedy via the terminal shuttle but that wasn't a place where I could take viable photos.  Yes, I thought that was interesting to see the rail logo from I-190.  I'm not sure common rail logos still out in the Mid-West but they have become rare in my area out west.  I have a couple older Pre-BNSF Santa Fe logo signs in collection that I thought cool finds. 

[Beltway]

Sears Tower will always be the Sears Tower, just like National Airport will always be National Airport.

Except it is no longer owned by Sears, Roebuck and Company.

[Rothman]

Sears Tower will always be the Sears Tower, just like National Airport will always be National Airport.

Except it is no longer owned by Sears, Roebuck and Company.

Doesn't matter.

[machias]

Sears Tower will always be the Sears Tower, just like National Airport will always be National Airport.

Except it is no longer owned by Sears, Roebuck and Company.

Doesn't matter.

Exactly, like Marshall Field's on State will always be Marshall Field's.

[Beltway]

Sears Tower will always be the Sears Tower, just like National Airport will always be National Airport.

Except it is no longer owned by Sears, Roebuck and Company.

Doesn't matter.

Sure it matters, given that the company is close to going out of business.

[hobsini2]

Sears Tower will always be the Sears Tower, just like National Airport will always be National Airport.

Except it is no longer owned by Sears, Roebuck and Company.

Doesn't matter.

Exactly, like Marshall Field's on State will always be Marshall Field's.

That's right. Fuck Macy's! Those New York prick bastards taking over my beloved store so they can have Frango Mints under the Macy's name. Marshall Field has rolled in his grave which you can go to just north of Wrigley Field.

[tdindy88]

To my knowledge, the Hancock Tower isn't even Hancock anymore isn't it? I mean officially.

[hotdogPi]

To my knowledge, the Hancock Tower isn't even Hancock anymore isn't it? I mean officially.

What else are you going to call it? Currently, its only official name is its street address.

[Max Rockatansky]

To my knowledge, the Hancock Tower isn't even Hancock anymore isn't it? I mean officially.

What else are you going to call it? Currently, its only official name is its street address.

I've heard it short handed to 875 Michigan a couple times on this last trip.  I found that odd since the Hancock name was only recently dropped. 

[edwaleni]

Sears Tower will always be the Sears Tower, just like National Airport will always be National Airport.

Interesting, because I have never called it National, I have always called it Reagan.

I still call it Sears Tower today because if I do say "Willis Tower", no one knows what I am saying.  Not sure if saying National today gets the same effect.

Last time I hailed a cab to "Reagan Airport" he knew where to go.  Last time I said, "lets go up Willis Tower", no one knew what I meant, "you mean the Hancock or Sears" they said.

As for Mad Max's photos, looks like you came out via the rental car lot.  What is weird is that most railroads in Illinois don't use the logo mount on the bridge IDOT pays for and leaves it empty. (in the old days the RR name was painted on) but CN proudly does over I-190. Many of the rail overpasses IDOT built never used it and they sit empty today.

There are parts of that road that have some interesting history behind it.

You have "always" called it Reagan?  You must be quite young.  The name change wasn't that long ago.

No, I am not that young, I just never flew out of it. I always used Dulles.

But for reasons too long to explain, I suddenly found myself flying to the former National Airport after it was renamed.

That is why I always think of it as Reagan because I never used it as National.

Kind of like JFK used to be Idlewild. LAX used to be Towers Field.  Kind of like O'Hare used to be Orchard Field (hence the "ORD" designation)

An interview with Jimmy Stewart he talked about flying planes out of Towers Field. No one knew what he meant.  He corrected himself by saying that it was called LAX today.  Now Jimmy had flown in and out of LAX a zillion times in his life, but in his head he still knew it as Towers Field.  But I will admit I haven't met anyone who actually flew out of Orchard Field.

For Mad Max: As for I-90 from ORD to the Looop. Have you heard the story about St. Stanislaus Koska Catholic Church? It has been well told, just wondering if you knew about it.

Yes, i miss Marshall Fields too. I used to be able to look down on the 14th floor and watch them make Frango's through the windows from the outside looking in.

When they moved the making (temporarily) out of Chicago, I thought that might be it for the Blommer Chocolate Company nearby. After Brach's sold out and moved for no good business reason, I figured the market for raw chocolate would all but disappear.

As for Sears......one could write a book on their massive fail. They tried and tried and tried to get into new markets, but the shareholders (pension funds) refused to give up one iota of dividend so Sears could adapt.  Sears management as far back as 1983 could see that there was a trend splitting their biz model. But instead they divested a can load of assets over the past 30 years to keep those pension funds happy and keep the dividend afloat all the while base retail was under siege. Sears could have been a powerhouse holding company if they had been allowed to do internal spin offs instead of simply selling off profitable assets. All that accumulated wealth and cash flow could have funded everything, but instead it went to the short termers who wanted their dough now.

Rant over.

[Rothman]

Then you aren't a good sample at all for those who knew the airport for decades as National Airport.  In short, you're a type of n00b. ;D

[Beltway]

That is why I always think of it as Reagan because I never used it as National.
Kind of like JFK used to be Idlewild. LAX used to be Towers Field.  Kind of like O'Hare used to be Orchard Field (hence the "ORD" designation)

BWI (Baltimore—Washington International Airport) used to be Friendship International Airport (BAL).

Like Idlewild its IATA code changed when the name changed.

Trivia:  Friendship Airport got it's name from the old Friendship Methodist Church that once occupied the site.

[edwaleni]

That is why I always think of it as Reagan because I never used it as National.
Kind of like JFK used to be Idlewild. LAX used to be Towers Field.  Kind of like O'Hare used to be Orchard Field (hence the "ORD" designation)

BWI (Baltimore—Washington International Airport) used to be Friendship International Airport (BAL).

Like Idlewild its IATA code changed when the name changed.

Trivia:  Friendship Airport got it's name from the old Friendship Methodist Church that once occupied the site.

Also FWIW: My ancestors used to own the land BWI sits on. Speaking with some distant cousins, they said they used to pick peaches in and around that church with the Lithicum's.

[Max Rockatansky]

The second feature of the recent 2019 Chicago visit is I-90/I-94 on the Dan Ryan Expressway. 

https://www.gribblenation.org/2019/04/dan-ryan-expressway-interstate-90-and.html

My stand alone photo set for the Dan Ryan Expressway can be found below:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmxp8UUE

[edwaleni]

The second feature of the recent 2019 Chicago visit is I-90/I-94 on the Dan Ryan Expressway. 

https://www.gribblenation.org/2019/04/dan-ryan-expressway-interstate-90-and.html

My stand alone photo set for the Dan Ryan Expressway can be found below:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmxp8UUE

For Mad Max: As for I-90 from ORD to the Looop. Have you heard the story about St. Stanislaus Koska Catholic Church? It has been well told, just wondering if you knew about it.

[Max Rockatansky]

The second feature of the recent 2019 Chicago visit is I-90/I-94 on the Dan Ryan Expressway. 

https://www.gribblenation.org/2019/04/dan-ryan-expressway-interstate-90-and.html

My stand alone photo set for the Dan Ryan Expressway can be found below:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmxp8UUE

For Mad Max: As for I-90 from ORD to the Looop. Have you heard the story about St. Stanislaus Koska Catholic Church? It has been well told, just wondering if you knew about it.

I haven't. 

[Brandon]

The second feature of the recent 2019 Chicago visit is I-90/I-94 on the Dan Ryan Expressway. 

https://www.gribblenation.org/2019/04/dan-ryan-expressway-interstate-90-and.html

My stand alone photo set for the Dan Ryan Expressway can be found below:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmxp8UUE

The Ryan express lanes are continuous and do not end/restart at 55th (Garfield).  What happens is, an express lane exits to the locals for a 1/2 mile or so, then rejoins the express lanes.
Before 51st: 3-4-4-3
51st-55th: 4-3-3-4
After 55th: 3-4-4-3

[edwaleni]

The second feature of the recent 2019 Chicago visit is I-90/I-94 on the Dan Ryan Expressway. 

https://www.gribblenation.org/2019/04/dan-ryan-expressway-interstate-90-and.html

My stand alone photo set for the Dan Ryan Expressway can be found below:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmxp8UUE

For Mad Max: As for I-90 from ORD to the Looop. Have you heard the story about St. Stanislaus Koska Catholic Church? It has been well told, just wondering if you knew about it.

I haven't.

When the Kennedy (I-90-94) was being laid out, the planners ran into a problem.

St. Stanislaus Koska Catholic Church in Pulaski Park was in the path of the road and they were notified that there would be a condemnation suit for their property at Evergreen and Noble.

The church called the Archbishop, who in turn called the Mayor, the famous one, Richard Daley.

So the mayor called the IDOT and told them to move the road east to save the church. No can do said the planners, the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad is to the east and they can't be condemned due to their predecessor rights under federal law.

So once again the mayor, undeterred, called the CEO of the CNW and asked him to move his railroad.  Not a trivial task in the 1950's as this was their main line going north and had 7 tracks for freight, commuter rail and passenger rail (pre-Amtrak).

As in all things political, promises were made, promises were kept.

The CNW shifted the tracks east by essentially removing the 7th western track and consuming what ROW was left on the east side.

Now the highway fit. The parish was saved and the railroad was no worse for wear.

You can still see the bridge over Division Street for that "7th rail" which contains nothing today.

The back of that parish is right up against the highway, so close one person cannot walk between.  In traffic jams, you can look inside the windows of the 2nd floor and see what the staff is working on.

The railroad (now Union Pacific) only uses 4 of the tracks for regular service today and 2 for freight switching.

The difference for one church and one major highway was only 3 phone calls.

Today, when people drive by, they only see a church next door, but back in the day, the power brokers of Chicago were completely involved and the road was done.

[ET21]

To my knowledge, the Hancock Tower isn't even Hancock anymore isn't it? I mean officially.

What else are you going to call it? Currently, its only official name is its street address.

I've heard it short handed to 875 Michigan a couple times on this last trip.  I found that odd since the Hancock name was only recently dropped.

Locals will always call it the John Hancock, just like Sears Tower, Marshall Fields, and Comiskey Park. You clearly know who is visiting the city when they say 870 North Michigan, Willis Tower, or Macy's.