ROSCOE VILLAGE — The Western-Belmont viaduct replacement project will enter its second phase on Monday, with work shifting to reconstruction of the Western-Belmont-Clybourn intersection.
What does this mean for motorists?
More pain for traffic on Belmont:
• Belmont will be restricted to a single lane in each direction through Western.
• Left turns from Belmont onto Western will be prohibited.
• During the first stage of intersection work, bus stops on Belmont at Western will remain in place.
Expect road configurations to shift multiple times during this phase, which will last 12 to 16 weeks, through mid-November.
According to the Chicago Department of Transportation, work on the overall project is proceeding on schedule, with a second lane of traffic still on pace to reopen on Western Avenue in the fall.
The Western-Belmont viaduct was originally built to ease congestion around the Riverview Amusement Park, which closed in 1967.
The overpass was demolished in March, the first step in an 18- to 24-month project that will culminate in a grade-level five-leg intersection at the Western-Belmont-Clybourn junction.
The project's scope also encompasses reconstruction of the Western Avenue bridge over the Chicago River, as well as reconstruction/resurfacing of Western Avenue between Waveland Avenue to the north and Jones Street to the south (Jones is south of Diversey).
For drivers: A third lane of travel will be added during peak hours and the plan provides for 80 new on-street parking spaces.
For pedestrians: Sidewalks will be widened to 13 feet, countdown signals will be installed at intersections and pedestrian refuge islands will be built at non-signaled crossings.
Here's the timetable:
• Stage One, four months: overpass removal, replacement of the Western Avenue bridge over the Chicago River, reconstruction of Western Avenue between the bridge and Roscoe Street.
• Stages Two and Three, eight months: reconstruction of the Western-Belmont-Clybourn intersection, resurfacing of Western from Waveland to Jones, traffic signal improvements, sidewalk widening and reconstruction.
• Stages Four and Five, four months: median construction, landscaping and parkway improvements.
RELATED:
Western-Belmont Construction Survival Guide: Detour Maps, Travel Tips
Western-Belmont Overpass: Going, Going, Pretty Much Gone (PICS, VIDEO)
Western-Belmont Overpass Was Briefly Useful, But It's Time To Say Goodbye
Western-Belmont Overpass FINALLY Being Demolished: Find Out When
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