Rendering courtesy of site design group, ltd.

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced it is launching an innovative project to reconstruct Argyle Street between Broadway and Sheridan and turn it into Chicago’s first “shared street.” The project will raise the level of the roadway, eliminate the curbs and create a plaza-like effect that will make the street fully ADA accessible and more suitable for sidewalk cafes and street fairs. With a shared street, the space will be available for pedestrian, vehicular and bicycle traffic.

“This project was designed through CDOT’s Complete Streets approach and is the result of an extensive community engagement process involving local stakeholders and Alderman Harry Osterman (48th Ward),” CDOT Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld said. “The goal is to spur additional street life and economic development along the corridor, building on Argyle Street’s existing weekly use for night markets and Chinese New Year celebrations.”

The Argyle Street Shared Street project design team was led by Burns & McDonnell with support from site design group, ltd. The work, which will take about a year to complete, will be carried out in several rolling phases in order to minimize disruption along the street and maintain access to existing businesses.

During construction Argyle will be switched from two-way traffic to one-way eastbound between Broadway and Sheridan. This will allow for vehicular access throughout construction. Pedestrian access to businesses and the CTA will also be maintained throughout construction. Argyle will operate as a two-way street again once construction is complete in 2016.

The anticipated construction schedule is as follows:

Stage 1: July 2015 – October 2015

• Work ongoing on north side of Argyle between Broadway and Sheridan
• Winthrop from Argyle north to the project limits
• Kenmore from Argyle north to the project limits

Stage 2: October 2015 – November 2015

• Work on the south side of Argyle between Broadway and Winthrop
• West side of Winthrop from Argyle south to the project limits

Work will shutdown for winter: November 2015 – April 2016

Stage 3: April 2016 – May 2016

• Work on the south side of Argyle between Winthrop and Sheridan
• East side of Winthrop from Argyle south to the project limits
• Kenmore from Argyle south to the project limits
• Installation of pedestrian refuge island and community identifier on Broadway

Stage 4: May 2016 – June 2016

• Work in the center of Argyle between Broadway and Sheridan
• Landscaping

The project is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2016.

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