Recommendation: Arterial Projects

On October 12, 2022, the CMAP Board approved an update to the ON TO 2050 long-range plan, including an updated regionally significant projects benefits report.

The arterial projects considered in ON TO 2050 are confined to larger improvements to the non-interstate portion of the National Highway System, that is, the major roadways that carry a quarter of the traffic in the region. There are many needs for traffic flow, safety, and pavement and bridge condition improvement on this roadway system alone. Most of the projects submitted are relatively short-term priorities for implementers, with construction expected in four to seven years, and with design approval already in place or anticipated to be sought before the ON TO 2050 update.

Costs displayed below are the total capital costs for the projects, including both reconstruction and new capacity, in 2018 dollars. Fiscal constraint is based on year of expenditure new capacity costs and incremental operating costs.

The North Lake Shore Drive Improvements project is a unique, complex, and multi-faceted project that would reconstruct numerous failing bridges, correct major safety deficiencies, improve severe travel time unreliability, and protect the drive from worsening storm damage. Lake Shore Drive is a very high ridership transit corridor; during the peak, buses carry 30 percent of travelers between Fullerton Avenue and Oak Street in 1 percent of the vehicles, and over the course of a full day carry 34,000 riders, more than many CTA rail branches. Treatments that provide transit priority to speed bus travel and allow for more service should be key elements of the project. The Redefine the Drive study is currently evaluating alternatives to identify the best way to improve the drive for all users, including drivers, transit riders, and lakefront park users. It is critical for the project to include managed lane strategies to help guarantee more predictable travel, with a strong emphasis on pricing strategies.

Improvements to nonmotorized transportation are an integral component of the North Lake Shore Drive project. Source: North Lake Shore Drive Study

The following are the other constrained regionally significant arterial projects.