The next seven days are going to see the demolition of unused train overpasses at both ends of the Wilson station.
- Starting tonight, Broadway will be closed between Wilson and Leland as CTA workers go round-the-clock until Monday morning taking down the trestle at Broadway and Leland.
- Starting Monday morning, Wilson will be closed between Broadway and Clifton as the overpass across Wilson starts coming down.
Buses are running normally, but the re-routes will be:#36 Broadway. Effective: Monday April 24, 2015 until Friday April 27, 2015, 2100 hours until 0400 hour:
- Southbound. Will operate regular route to Broadway / Lawrence, (turn left) East on Lawrence to Sheridan (turn right) South on Sheridan to Wilson, (turn right) West on Wilson to Broadway (turn left) over regular route.
- Northbound. Reverse of the Southbound Reroute.
#78 Montrose. Effective: Monday April 27, 2015 - 0900 hours until Friday May 01, 2015 - 1600 hours:
- Eastbound. Operate regular route to Clark/Wilson, (cont.) North on Clark to Lawrence, (turn right) East on Lawrence to Broadway, (turn right) South on Broadway to Wilson, (turn left) East on Wilson over the regular route.
- Westbound. Operate regular route to Broadway/Wilson, continue North on Broadway to Lawrence (turn left), West on Lawrence to Clark (turn left), South on Clark to Wilson over to regular route.
I am surprised that the alderman would allow these prime overpasses to be demolished as they could easily house another Cappletown, like the one under the Lawrence/LSD viaduct. The alderman's continued neglect of the shameful conditions under the bridge is unfair to the homeless campers, neighbors, and lakefront visitors.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what direction your sarcasm is going--are you upset that Cappleman is seeing through on his promise to get the Wilson Station reconstructed, are you upset that the conditions for the Red Line viaduct over Broadway are improving while those of the Lawrence viaduct under LSD aren't, or are you upset that there's a homeless camp on the public way on the Lawrence/LSD viaduct? If it's the last one, I agree with you--a series of tents inhabited by the homeless plunked down on a sidewalk on Broadway or on Montrose wouldn't be tolerated, and I don't see why they're being tolerated by the authorities there on Lawrence.
DeleteIt's the last one. Care must be taken to protect the homeless people's personal effects, and you are right, tent camps would not be tolerated elsewhere.
DeleteShort answer is, the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless filed a lawsuit on behalf of people living outside, and the city's compromise settlement was to allow it in Uptown and on Lower Wacker. Once again Uptown is subject to different standards than the rest of the city.
ReplyDeleteOsterman and Cappleman are working to try to get the people out of the viaducts. Cappleman got a grant with Thresholds for outreach there. Osterman's chief of staff recently said he (Harry) is trying to change the situation.
Certain groups have a need to have people living under the viaducts rather than move into a more supportive environment. You'd think they'd want them to get case management, and live in an environment that is less harsh. But no, it doesn't fit their agenda to see people move out of homelessness. So aldermen who want to see the homeless get help are demonized as cruel and uncaring, and the city compromises by saying, come to Uptown, it's okay there, but not anywhere else.
I am not advocating shifting the problem to viaducts other than the Lawrence viaduct, but The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless says on its website that "for now, the policy applies only to the Lower Wacker Drive area and to the Wilson Avenue viaduct beneath Lake Shore Drive." This policy pertains to protecting homeless people's personal effects, not allowing semi-permanent camp sites. Perhaps it's time for Cappleman and Osterman to stand up to the 5' 7" "City."
DeleteThe vagrancy will only get worse as the weather gets warmer. It is quite an eye sore and I've noticed quite a bit of public drinking, disorderly behavior, ect.... while walking my dog.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, CTA just sent notice that Broadway is reopened and the viaduct demo was completed faster than anticipated there.
ReplyDelete