{"id":920,"date":"2017-05-22T14:02:09","date_gmt":"2017-05-22T19:02:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.universaltaxidispatch.com\/blog\/?p=920"},"modified":"2017-05-22T14:05:16","modified_gmt":"2017-05-22T19:05:16","slug":"the-leland-curve-in-lincoln-square-is-letting-down-its-guardrail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.universaltaxidispatch.com\/blog\/2017\/05\/the-leland-curve-in-lincoln-square-is-letting-down-its-guardrail\/","title":{"rendered":"The Leland Curve In Lincoln Square Is Letting Down Its Guard(rail)"},"content":{"rendered":"

A makeover is in the works for the Leland Avenue curve, at the southern gateway to the square’s quaint shopping and dining hub.<\/p>\n

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The interstate-style guardrail, which hugs the curve as Leland swoops toward Western Avenue, is set to be replaced with planters, and the sidewalk, which tapers to a choke point around the bend, will be widened to provide more room for pedestrians.<\/p>\n

Ald. Ameya Pawar (47th) has earmarked $100,000 in aldermanic menu money to fund the project.<\/p>\n

Work could start in the fall but more likely will get underway in spring 2018, according to Jim Poole, 47th Ward chief of staff.<\/p>\n

The Chicago Department of Transportation has some engineering work to do first, including relocating drains and streetlights, he said.<\/p>\n

“It’s going to look a lot better, but it’s not a drastic change,” Poole said.<\/p>\n

Though the main purpose of the project is to improve the pedestrian experience, Poole said the planters may send a visual cue to motorists that Leland isn’t a highway.<\/p>\n

“It probably calms traffic a little bit,” he said.<\/p>\n

A more significant alteration to the curve, in the form of a pedestrian “island,” was considered and dropped, in large part because of concerns that trucks would have serious difficulties negotiating the island, he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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