Chicago's famed DuSable Lake Shore Drive is under the knife again with a new round of lane closures that are set to drive commuters up the wall. Starting Monday night stretches between Irving Park Road and LaSalle Drive are losing three southbound lanes from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. the subsequent day, with disruptions expected to last throughout the week, according to NBC Chicago.
The Chicago Department of Transportation warns that on top of the overnight closures, Roosevelt to 31st Street will lose three lanes from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., starting Tuesday. An attempt to soften the blow to rush hour traffic will leave one lane closed, between 4 p.m. and 9 a.m. "Drivers are urged to plan with the closures, and to expect lengthy delays if they have to drive on DuSable Lake Shore Drive," as per NBC Chicago.
This is all part of a much larger, eight-week construction behemoth that the Windy City has unleashed to repair the crumbling pavement, driving locals to seek alternative routes or face the gridlock head-on. Local broadcaster FOX 32 Chicago outlines a rigorous four-phase schedule, detailing a roadwork dance that will continue until June 17, just in time for a slew of major events.
Despite the inconvenience, the city's stoic commuters take the chaos in stride, "It’s a small price to pay," Hersh Karku told FOX 32 Chicago. Another commuter, Jerry Oversen, quipped, "You know what they say about Chicago, there’s two seasons, there’s winter and construction, and that just holds every summer." As crews work tirelessly to pave the way for easier commutes in the future, CDOT pushes for the use of alternative transportation during these trying times.
