CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The proposal to rename Outer Lake Shore Drive for Jean Baptiste Point DuSable could win City Council approval Wednesday, after the sponsor rejected the mayor’s alternative ideas.
Alderman David Moore sees “racial overtones” in what he said is the Lightfoot Administration’s latest compromise to rename the Dan Ryan Expressway for DuSable.
"Keep it on the South Side. South of like 35th Street. Let’s be honest: Keep it in the Black community,” Ald. Moore told the Sun-Times. “Those are racial overtones and ones that we have to move beyond in this city. We’re better than that.”
Mayor Lightfoot has also offered to complete DuSable Park, create an exhibit on the Riverwalk, rename the entire Riverwalk in honor of DuSable, and even possibly rename the Chicago River.
All at a cost that Moore figures would be about $40 million. While Lake Shore Drive, he said, would cost of less than $2.5 million.
“The state gave their numbers. The city gave their numbers. And it came out to less than $2.5 million to make the street change, signs and everything,” Moore told the Sun-Times.
“But yet, the administration came back with a proposal of $40 million: $25 million for the park and $15 million for the Riverwalk and also threw in there the possibility of changing the Chicago River to DuSable. But they would have to go through the Department of Interior. All that heavy lifting just to not rename the Outer Drive? That’s an issue for me.”
Some North Side aldermen have said they’ve heard what Alderman Tom Tunney termed as “an earful” from those opposed.
So, like so many issues in the city, race and division is prominent.
The name change has momentum in the City Council. It could be blocked, at least temporarily. It just takes two aldermen.
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