Quote:
Originally Posted by ardecila
I'm not a fan of the Hyatt blocking off S. Liberty St, though. It looks like they're closing it permanently, which leaves no way to cut through the massive block on foot. It's even worse for drivers, who have no north-south streets anywhere between Claiborne and Loyola after the Superdome closes off LaSalle.
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Normally I would agree that keeping the street grid is important, but in this case, Liberty Street doesn't really connect through-traffic, it's just a way to get from parking lots to major streets. The block was always really cut-off because of the train tracks leading to the UPT. Also, from what I've seen in the Hyatt drawings, there will be a way for vehicles to enter the parking garage from the front of the hotel off Loyola Ave., from the right side, if facing the new facade.
With this new configuration, I could actually see traffic improving, especially after a football game, because fewer intersections mean fewer stops and bottlenecks. Pedestrians will not be really impacted since LaSalle St. is open to pedestrians on game days going North/South, and people can cut through the Hyatt going East/West.
Maybe permanently closing off S. Liberty St. could also lead to an enlarged Champions Square in the next phase?