CHICAGO | General Discussions

[the urban politician]

^ That's horrible

Are you thinking about moving out of Avondale? With all of the militant communists moving in, you might start dealing with some serious crime problems.

I so far have good tenants, but I screen them. Unfortunately, Buttwinkle and her gang are now making it almost illegal to do a criminal background check on prospective tenants.

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ That's horrible

Are you thinking about moving out of Avondale? With all of the militant communists moving in, you might start dealing with some serious crime problems.

[lakeshoredrive]

As today is 9/11, I can’t help but think about what happened in New York. It’s scary to know that Al Qaeda had the Sears Tower and JHC as possible targets. Thank god Chicago wasn’t attacked.

[BrinChi]

^ Several years ago there was a proposal to cap a few blocks of the expressway around there. Hopefully something like that comes to fruition in our lifetime.

[Handro]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ i dunno, when i lived in the west loop i liked the current "chicago star" fencing.

In a vacuum the fence they have there is ok and actually pretty cool, but in the context of the (ugly, albeit subjectively) 8 lane expressway and the unprotected windswept walks, it's an unpleasant stretch to cross smack dab in the the most booming area of the city.

Originally Posted by BrinChi

^ Several years ago there was a proposal to cap a few blocks of the expressway around there. Hopefully something like that comes to fruition in our lifetime.

Ohh yea, I vaguely remember seeing that idea floating around. I wonder what ever became of it? Something like Klyde Warren Park in Dallas would be so damn cool:

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Handro

In a vacuum the fence they have there is ok and actually pretty cool, but in the context of the (ugly, albeit subjectively) 8 lane expressway and the unprotected windswept walks, it's an unpleasant stretch to cross smack dab in the the most booming area of the city.

i dunno, i actually kind liked looking down at all the traffic down below.

but i certainly wouldn't be opposed to capping the kennedy trench with a park, i just doubt that the money to do it will ever be found in my lifetime.

as for replacing the current fencing with taller, visually obstructive fencing, i wouldn't be in favor of that. if we can't have a park over the kennedy, then let's at east celebrate the piece of infrastructure for what it is and enjoy the open vistas of the cityscape that's being built up around it.

[Handro]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

i dunno, i actually kind liked looking down at all the traffic down below.

but i certainly wouldn't be opposed to capping the kennedy trench with a park, i just doubt that the money to do it will ever be found in my lifetime.

as for replacing the current fencing with taller, visually obstructive fencing, i wouldn't be in favor of that. if we can't have a park over the kennedy, then let's at east celebrate the piece of infrastructure for what it is and enjoy the open vistas of the cityscape that's being built up around it.

It will definitely help to have a more continuous canyon on either side of the expressway--the lots left dotting this stretch leave it feeling a little barren.

[LouisVanDerWright]

There will be a freeway park eventually, it might take a while and only be like one or two blocks. There should be a freeway cap built in front of CCH on Ogden like the one in Columbus Ohio as well...

[ardecila]

I don't like that tall fencing. Decorative or not, it feels like a cattle chute.

The second example I think would be great... just build small "sliver" parks adjacent to the sidewalks. You get some of the benefits of a full cap at a fraction of the cost. Here's another example in Columbus:
https://goo.gl/maps/Wb2EwBzpuS6SCMqr8

[Tom In Chicago]

Noone in Wisconsin says "expressway" or "freeway". . . they just refer to any limited access roadway - whether or not it serves as an interstate - as "the I". . .

. . .

[the urban politician]

^ Ahh, I remember learning that when I moved to Racine

[BrinChi]

^^ Love the #2 example in Atlanta and seems much more financially feasible. But the middle onramps in the west loop might be a hindrance.

I'm also from WI and grew up saying freeway. I've been in Chicago long enough that I've migrated to expressway so people stop looking at me funny... for that reason at least, they still look at me funny for other reasons.

[Baronvonellis]

The 2nd example in Atlanta looks great! I would be really happy with that one, if we don't do a full capping, which doesn't seem likely at this time. From the street it looks like a park.

Washington, Monroe, and Fulton Market don't have middle ramps. Lake, Adams, and Jackson only have middle ramps on one side of the street. They would have to leave space for the ramps, but the rest of the street could have that kind of treatment.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Baronvonellis

Washington, Monroe, and Fulton Market don't have middle ramps. Lake, Adams, and Jackson only have middle ramps on one side of the street. They would have to leave space for the ramps, but the rest of the street could have that kind of treatment.

true, only madison and randolph have the double middle on-ramp on both side of the overpass.

maybe it wouldn't be as difficult to implement that atlanta "garden bridge" idea as i first though.

[tjp]

is it just me or has the CTA been a nightmare this week?

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by tjp

is it just me or has the CTA been a nightmare this week?

There was supposedly a bomb threat on the Red Line yesterday that threw off rush hour in the evening.

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by tjp

is it just me or has the CTA been a nightmare this week?

How precognitive of you (my wife is going to be 20 mins late to her class because of the red line problems... ).

[RedCorsair87]

Wow, thats really interesting! Keep reinventing yourself, Chicago!

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Stockerzzz

Is there anything interesting in that data?

Just started looking at it..so here's some foreign born stuff

Foreign Born, Top Increases Chicago MSA from 2017 to 2018
1. India: +12,300 people
2. China: +4154 people
3. Philippines: +4087 people
4. UK: +2834 people
5. Haiti: +2682
6. Asia n.e.c. +2542
7. Cameroon: +2114 people
8. Turkey: +2010 people
9. Albania: +1840 people
10. Nigeria: +1726 people
11. Serbia: +1713 people
12. Canada: +1627 people
13. Macedonia: +1382 people
14. Barbados: +1317 people
15. Iraq: +1293 people

Foreign Born, Top Decreases Chicago MSA from 2017 to 2018
1. Mexico: -20,528 people
2. Poland: -7701 people
3. Honduras: -5151 people
4. Other Eastern Europe: -4403 people
5. Guatemala: -4234 people
6. El Salvador: -3399 people
7. Egypt: -3196 people
8. Ukraine: -2345 people
9. Pakistan: -2217 people
10. Saudi Arabia: -2040 people
11. Jamaica: -1977 people
12. Other Northern Africa: -1942 people
13. Laos: -1817 people
14. Other South Central Asia: -1796 people
15. Cuba: -1390 people

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Stockerzzz

^ Wow, a total decrease of -20,515 within the top 15 groups with a notable gain from Asia and loss from Mexico + Central America.

I wonder if a lot of hispanic immigrants are simply not responding as hispanic due to the political climate.