BUCKTOWN — After decades of causing traffic headaches for Chicagoans, the infamous Damen, Elston and Fullerton intersection reopened Tuesday with a reconfigured traffic pattern, new bike lanes and much fanfare.
The new intersections are part of a $22.5 million remake that turned the dangerous and oft-clogged six-way intersection into two, separate four-way intersections with more pedestrian crossing options and traffic signals.
"This has been talked about for 20 years. Today is a major milestone," a shivering Mayor Rahm Emanuel said at the northeast corner of Elston and Fullerton avenues early Tuesday as temperatures hovered in the mid-20s.
The new four-way intersection at Elston and Fullerton was created to alleviate congestion at the former six-way intersection a bit south. The realigned stretch of Elston Avenue curves around Fullerton and leads to another four-way intersection at Elston and Damen avenues.
Though the two lanes for cars have been open intermittently over the past month, the two bike lanes just opened this week.
“Damen, Elston, and Fullerton used to be one of Chicago's most dangerous and most congested intersections, one that drivers would try to avoid at all costs,” Emanuel said. “Now with the fully opened, new intersection at Elston and Fullerton, traffic is flowing more smoothly and drivers can actually get through on a single traffic light.”
The construction, which started on May 29, 2015, was initially thought to end this fall, but it will continue through spring 2017 after a winter break, officials said.
Steven Schwartz, owner of Midtown Athletic Club, 2020 W. Fullerton Ave., located at the corner of the Damen and Fullerton intersection, said that the construction "has been brutal" but added that it was "awesome" to see the results.
"Thank God, it's almost done. It's so much better. I can turn left! I can turn left!" a joyous Schwartz said after the brief news conference.
The Damen, Elston and Fullerton intersection sees 70,000 vehicles pass through it each day, Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld said.
"We attacked a bottleneck, one of the most dangerous for drivers, pedestrians and bikes," Scheinfeld said, describing the rerouted path as "a creative solution that has rerouted Elston and synchronized traffic signals to relieve congestion, improving safety for everyone who travels through the area.”
Now that the new roadway is open, additional work will include the installation of permanent traffic signals at all intersections, new street lighting on Fullerton and Damen, as well as other improvements, such as resurfacing all streets within the project limits, widening Damen to improve traffic flow and better accommodate bikes and widening the north sidewalk along Fullerton, officials said.
The old section of Elston Avenue south of Fullerton Avenue will be renamed "North Elston Court" and reconstructed with access at Fullerton.
Members of Active Trans, an advocacy group for pedestrians and cyclists, were excited about the improvements. Active Trans’ Executive Director Ron Burke said that the new curb protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks and safer crossings will "add a crucial layer of protection."
“The Damen/Elston/Fullerton intersection is one of the most crash-prone intersections in Chicago. We applaud the city's redesign because it will make the intersection safer for everyone while protecting the most vulnerable road users on foot and bike," Burke said.
The $22.5 million project was funded through federal, state and TIF funds, and managed by CDOT in coordination with the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The project also opened up real estate for possible commercial development on both the north side and the south side of Fullerton east of Damen at the former Vienna Beef Factory. A plan to bring a grocery store, shopping and dining complex to the site was discussed in spring 2015 before the intersection remake started.
RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About the Damen, Elston and Fullerton Construction.
An aerial view of what the Damen, Elston and Fullerton intersection looked like BEFORE construction started. [Courtesy of CDOT]
An aerial view of what the Damen, Elston and Fullerton intersection looks like now that Elston has been rerouted. [Courtesy of CDOT]
Damen and Fullerton is a 4-way intersection now that Elston has been rerouted to alleviate congestion. [Photos by DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser]
The "New Elston Avenue" and Fullerton intersection.
The new stretch of realigned "New Elston Avenue" with bike lanes.
The Fullerton and "New Elston" intersection.
Emanuel and (CDOT) Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld at the New Elston Avenue and Fullerton intersection.
