CHICAGO (WBBMNEWSRADIO) -- City planners are in the middle of a process to re-design North Lake Shore Drive, and on Friday reporters will be briefed on where the plans stand.
The Chicago Department of Transportation said the North Lake Shore Drive reconstruction could cost a few billion dollars, and while there’s still a question of where that money will come from, planning continues.
According to plans you can see at northlakeshoredrive.org, landfill will be added along the lakefront to relocate beaches further into the lake. This includes Ohio Street, Oak Street and North Avenue beaches. The move would allow designers to make the curves at Oak Street less severe for motorists and pave the way for development of a major park behind it to the southwest.
There would also be a shared-use overpass added at Chicago Avenue, replacing a stoplight, and dozens of acres of new green space added between Grand Avenue and Hollywood.
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Officials said the North Lake Shore Drive team has reached a critical milestone in the study process as it prepares to recommend alternatives to move into the next stage of the process.
The city is now asking the public to weigh in on some of the alternatives as planners move into the next phase of development. There’s an online survey and opportunities for online small group discussions.