>> THE PASTOR SAYS THEY ARE NOT
HOPELESS THAT IS INSPIRING.
>> OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS SOME
CHICAGOANS HAVE HAD MORE ROOM TO
MOVE OUTSIDE AS SOME STREETS
OPENED UP FOR BICYCLISTS,
RUNNERS AND PEDESTRIANS AND
OTHER STREETS CONVERTED FOR
OUTDOOR DINING.
DESPITE ENTHUSIASM FROM
TRANSPORTATION ADVOCATES AND
EAGER RESIDENTS SOME OF THE
SHARED STREETS ARE NOT READY YET
AND ONE OF THE ANNOUNCED
LOCATIONS FOR OUTDOOR DINING IS
NOT HAPPENING AT ALL.
NICK BLUMBERG REPORTS.
>> LOCAL TRAFFIC IS STILL
ALLOWED ON DREXEL BETWEEN OAK
WOOD AND HYDE PARK BOULEVARD BUT
THE STREETS NOW OPEN FOR
PEDESTRIANS, JOGGERS,
ROLLERBLADERS AND BICYCLISTS
LIKE OWEN HIS REACTION?
>> I LOVE IT.
WHAT IS MY REACTION?
>> LAWSON SAYS MAKING BICYCLING
SAFER HELPS PROMOTE A GREAT WAY
TO GET AROUND INTEREST WHAT'S
NOT TO LOVE?
YOU'RE BURNING CALORIES,
EXERCISING, SAVING GAS MONEY,
INSURANCE, REPAIRS, REALLY?
>> DREXEL IS ONE OF THREE
STRETCHES OF SHARED STREETS
RIGHT NOW.
CORTLAND ARE OPEN AS AN
ALTERNATIVE TO THE 606 TRAIL.
IN LINCOLN SQUARE AND RAVENS
WOOD, LELAND IS A SHARED STREET
FROM LINCOLN TO ASHLAND.
>> PEOPLE HAVE APPRECIATED THIS
OPPORTUNITY ESPECIALLY FOLKS
WITH YOUNGER KIDS WHO WANT TO
MOVE AROUND FOR A FEW BLOCKS.
>> MATT MARTIN SAYS MAKING
STREETS MORE BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN
FRIENDLY AND CREATING SPACE FOR
OUTDOOR DINING DOESN'T
NECESSARILY HAVE TO GO AWAY WHEN
THE PANDEMIC DOES.
>> WE HAVE A PROGRAM OF COURSE
IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY WHERE
WE'RE CLOSING DOWN FOR A SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME STREETS ENTIRELY
TO TRAFFIC.
A NUMBER OF OTHER CITIES
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AS WELL
AS EUROPE DO THAT.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD
CONSIDER.
>> BROADWAY AND LAKEVIEW AND
RUSH STREET ON THE NORTH SIDE
HAVE STARTED CLOSING TO TRAFFIC
OVER THE WEEKEND AND OPENING FOR
OUTDOOR DINING.
AND IT'S COMING SOON IN CHATHAM
INCLUDING BROWN SUGAR BAKERY.
>> YOU CAN GET ALL KINDS OF
THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT THINK YOU
SHOULD HAVE BUT HAVE A LITTLE
BIT OF THIS.
>> THE PLAN WAS TO CLOSE 75TH
STREET BETWEEN INDIANA AND
CALUMET BUT NOT EVERYONE WAS
ONBOARD.
SO STEPHANIE HART WITH LOCAL
LEADERS AND RESIDENTS CAME UP
WITH A PLAN TO MOVE THE OUTDOOR
SEATING OFF OF 75TH.
>> SO THAT TRAFFIC AND BUSES CAN
CONTINUE TO RUN AND TO THE SIDE
STREETS RIGHT BY THE MAIN
THOROUGHFARE.
I THINK IT IS A GREAT COMPROMISE
PLUS IT'S SHADY ON THE SIDE OVER
THERE.
>> HART HOPES THE SHADY SEATING
WILL BE READY BY JULY FIRST.
OUTDOOR DINING IS IN THE WORKS
ON TWO STRETCHES AS WELL.
THE WEST CENTRAL ASSOCIATION
HOPES TO OPEN TAYLOR STREET AS
SOON AS FRIDAY.
THAT ASSOCIATION IS WORKING
TOWARD OUTDOOR SEATING ON
RANDOLPH BETWEEN HALSTED AND
ELIZABETH AND PLANS TO GET THAT
APPLICATION INTO THE CITY THIS
WEEK.
BUT NOT EVERYONE IS INTERESTED
IN OUTDOOR DINING.
WHEN THE FIRST ANNOUNCED THE
PILOT PROGRAM ONE OF THE SIX
STREETS WAS 26TH IN LITTLE
VILLAGE.
BUT THE LITTLE VILLAGE CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE TOLD US THEY ARE NO
LONGER PLANNING TO PARTICIPATE
BECAUSE BUSINESSES IN THE AREA
SAY THEY LOSE MONEY ON DAYS WHEN
THE STREETS SHUTDOWN.
AS FOR MORE SHARED STREETS FOR
PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS THERE
IS NOTHING OFFICIAL BUT THE CITY
TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND
ALDERMEN SAY THEY ARE WORKING ON
OUTREACH.
ALDERMAN MATT MARTIN HOPES TO
SEE SHARED STREETS LIKE LELAND
THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
>> TODAY AND MOST DAYS IT'S NOT
BEEN TOO BUSY WHICH IS GREAT BUT
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
INSURING THAT IT DOESN'T GET TO
A POINT WHERE IT'S TOO BUSY.
>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" I'M
NICK BLUMBERG.
>> AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO
LEARN ABOUT A COUPLE OF
STRETCHES OF ROADWAY THAT ARE