Tag Archives: Chicago
Lake Shore Drive Closes For Bike Event Sunday Morning
Planning an early morning drive along the lakefront on Sunday?
You may have to settle for taking a detour because Lake Shore Drive will be closed for Bike the Drive Sunday morning.
Wacker Reconstruction Begins Next Stage Monday
Two Year Project To Be Completed By End Of 2012
The City of Chicago’s “Revive Wacker Drive” plan to reconstruct both levels of Wacker Drive officially enters the second of its two years as it begins work on the two level street at Monroe and Adams starting Monday, January 9th.
This means come Monday, both Monroe and Adams will be closed to thru traffic (from Canal to Franklin) until sometime this summer, while Madison Street will finally be open to all traffic–vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian.
The Madison Street/Wacker Drive intersection stage of the project was just completed after being closed since July 4th to traffic.
The next phase begins Monday, January 9th where the project moves southward once again when work will be started on both levels of Wacker Drive at the Monroe and Adams Street intersections.
“Our crews continue to work efficiently to meet the demands of a very aggressive construction schedule,” said Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein regarding the continued on-time and on-budget construction project. “We will maintain that same level of efficiency in 2012 so that motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists can again have full access to this vital roadway and the businesses that surround it.”
Major Crackdown On Disabled Parking Abuse Thursday
View more videos at: http://nbcchicago.com.
A joint enforcement effort between Secretary of State Police and Chicago Police put many police officers on the ground at five separate locations around downtown Chicago Thursday looking for abuse of disabled parking laws according to the NBC Chicago website.
Mayor Emanuel Proposes Tough New Fines For Disabled Parking Abuse
Don’t even think about it.
That’s the message Mayor Rahm Emanuel is trying to convey to drivers who feel compelled to misuse disabled parking placards or handicap plates to park for free on metered streets.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the proposal cruised through the City Council Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Monday and looks like it will be voted on by the full City Council at Wednesday’s meeting.
The proposed change in the law would hand down fines between $1500 and $3000 for drivers flouting the law. Furthermore, the driver’s vehicle would be immediately towed and impounded to the tune of an additional $150.
Emanuel’s plan had the support of Secretary of State Jesse White who has his own major changes planned for the state law that controls handicap parking abuse.
It seems both Emanuel’s and White’s push for more stringent laws on disabled parking abuse is the direct result of a week long series on the subject by the Chicago Sun-Times last month which caught myriads of drivers involved in this type of abuse.
Fading Street Markings Pose Safety Hazard
Over time the elements and wear and tear take their toll on street markings
More and more, street markings on Chicago streets are getting harder and harder to see.
Over time, weather and wear from the millions of vehicle tires each year takes it toll on the painted stop bars, pedestrian crosswalk and vehicle lane markings that are necessary to help drivers understand how they need to operate safely.
The Chicago Tribune pointed out this issue to the Chicago Department of Transportation recently.
To their credit, CDOT is well aware of the problem affixing the blame to the lack of funding and the economic downturn. But spending on repainting markings has already in the works.
While CDOT only spent $700,000 in markings in 2009, the agency spent $1.3 million in 2010, $1.4 million this year and has budgeted $2.3 million for street markings in 2012.
Black Friday Will Cost Some Shoppers More Than Planned With Disabled Parking Crackdown
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is not playing.
White announced Tuesday that Secretary of State Police will be patrolling Woodfield Mall on the day after Thanksgiving to target scofflaws who use disabled parking placards or handicap license plates to park illegally in designated handicap parking spots.
Similar enforcement stings will be happening simultaneously statewide at malls in Rockford, Springfield and Marion.
“Our mission is not to give tickets, but to ensure the parking spaces are available to those who need them,” White said. “My message today is simple-if you don’t belong there-don’t park there.”
While White’s office conducted a similar enforcement program last year on Black Friday, this year’s clampdown comes on the heels of a Sun-Times expose’ that showed the immense volume of motorists using stolen or borrowed disabled parking placards to avoid having to pay for metered street parking.
Nissan Leaf Sets Bar High For Electric Vehicles
New All Electric Car Impressive In Test Drive
Nissan's all electric Leaf poses for a photo on the lakefront
The internal combustion engine is a truly amazing thing.
It is arguably, one of the most important inventions in human history.
After driving gas powered vehicles for over 30 years it is with a high degree of skepticism in which I view electric powered vehicles. In fact, I’ve often scoffed at the idea that electric cars could ever replace the combustion engine.
They’re not fast enough. The pickup is too slow. The range is too limited.
Well, after test driving this Nissan Leaf this past Saturday morning, a healthy meal feasting on my words may be in my immediate future.
Nissan Leaf Drive Electric Tour
This weekend, Nissan invited me to stop by the Nissan Leaf Drive Electric Tour in the shadow of Soldier Field and test drive a Leaf.
From the looks of it it was going to be a busy day for the Nissan folks as a line had formed at the entrance with many Chicago drivers looking to take their turn behind the wheel of this electric vehicle.
Aldermen Try Tightening Teen Texting While Driving
Alderman Ed Burke (14th) wants Big Mom and Big Dad to help clamp down on their texting teen so they don’t text while driving.
On Wednesday, Burke, along with Ald. Michelle Harris (8th), Ald. Ray Suarez (31st) and Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) proposed a new ordinance which would require all cell phones sold in Chicago to come equipped with special technology to allow parents to disable the texting functionality of their child’s phone while their kids are driving according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
State Troopers Nail 7800 For Cell Phone Violations
When Illinois’ new law against using a cellular phone while driving through school and construction zones went into effect January 1, 2010, no one knew what the enforcement result would be.
But according to the Bloomington Pantagraph, Illinois State Troopers pulled over 7800 drivers for violating this new law so far this year.
Of the 7800 drivers pulled over, 4,236 received citations and 2,629 caught a break and were sent on their way with just a warning.
The current legal trend is for more and more regulation of using cellphones while driving. In Chicago, you cannot text and drive nor talk on your cellphone without a hands free device.
Booting Up, Parking, Red Light Tickets Down
A booter affixes a late night boot on N. Ashland Ave.
It was just last November 1st, 2009 that the Chicago Department of Revenue began 24 hour booting.
Not surprisingly, in that almost year’s time, booting is up from last year based on numbers provided by the DOR during city council budget hearings today at City Hall.
Total boots placed through August, 2009 was 41,469, according to DOR documentation. DOR booters have increased booting by 7.5% this year with 44,581 boots placed through August 31, 2010
