I don't know much about the Chicago pedway. How big is it? How extensive? What purpose does it serve?

I heard there are shops down there? Are there a lot--is it like an underground world? That would be awesome!

Are they still expanding the pedway? For example, are they going to extend it further towards Streeterville, Lakeshore East, and the South Loop?

The pedway has potential, but sadly isn't all that. Here is a map.

http://www.spiegl.org/pedway/ped.jpg

Damn right. A wasted potential. And there was a major Pedway component, talked about for years (even planned, I believe) that might have made the system work: an under the river link from Sears Tower to Union Station.

Now can you imagine what such a link would mean to usage, especially if another one went across the river at Madison to NW/Ogilve. Does anyone see how a Metra-connected, Metra-inspired underground link from Clinton/Canal area to the east Loop and Mich Ave would create a vibrant underground city? How many thousands of folks from Winnetka, Lake Forest, Hinsdale, and Naperville would be following that route daily in December, January, and February?

Well, I would not go so far as to call it wasted potential. I agree that there is room for growth here, but what it exists is hardly wasted. I've been spending the last two weeks exploring the pedway on my lunch breaks and there is a lot to like. What is already in place is very lively, has lots of subterranean shops and offers a nice escape in the winter from the cold city above. Certainly different points need to be linked together (most notably, if only because they came SO damn close to doing so, would be the Blue Cross building and the AON center).

It's more than a system of tunnels, in many cases the pedway actually runs through the basement of buildings. In other places you're actually above the city streets.

My brain isn't functioning well today, so check out this link for more information.

http://www.gapersblock.com/detour/archives/subterranean_city_a_tour_of_chicagos_pedway_part_1.php

I've never understood why the Pedway has never been beefed up to a level of coverage and accessibility to make it actually useful in a city with arctic winters. Unless you work in Illinois Center (the area east of Michigan Ave and north of Grant Park) or in the government buildings on Randolph, the pedway is virtually useless.

One of the problems is that development of the pedway appears to have been left mostly to private property owners. The city already has rights of way under city streets. The city should float a bond issue and just build 2 main tunnels: an east/west under Madison and a north/south under Clark or LaSalle. If they get extra ambitious, they can exend the existing Quincy, Court Place, and Michigan Ave. tunnels. Then leave it to private developers to link up to these main arterials. I think the foot traffic that would result would be enough incentive for various buildings to link up.

There also should be very clear access points for every part of the pedway system every few blocks. One of the problems now is that the few access points that aren't under buildings are hidden.

Bah... I don't see the big deal. Hats and gloves were invented for a reason... how are you supposed to enjoy the city when you're buried twenty feet under it? :) EMBRACE WINTER!!!

the very size of downtown Chicago works against an extended pedway system that could even come close to blanketing the area.

Minneapolis, with far worse winters than ours, invested in what is probably the best skywalk system in the nation. But their efforts were aided by the fact that they could far more easily include their whole much smaller downtown within it. The need to make an inclussive system made Mpls work a lot more than ours, knowing there is no way that the huge reaches of downtown Chicago will ever be joined underground.

The Chicago River really prevents a barrier. How would you make a crossing of either the south branch or the main channel? The expense is exhorbitant. And how would anyone save time walking not only below two levels of Wacker, but below the Chicago River itself.

Bah... I don't see the big deal. Hats and gloves were invented for a reason... how are you supposed to enjoy the city when you're buried twenty feet under it? :) EMBRACE WINTER!!!

I've been embracing it for 20 years (and this is as someone born and raised in the sun belt), but I guess my roots are starting to show 'cuz I'm getting a little weary of it all. It would just be nice to have some options during the worst of it all. I can enjoy city streets for 10 months of the year, but I'm not going to miss much by going underground for 6-8 weeks a year. :)

Regarding the issue raised about crossing the river, I think the pedway should be restricted to the Loop. Michigan Avenue merchants would never allow it anyway, since it would seriously affect their street-level foot traffic. And the 2 big train stations in the West Loop are right on the river anyway, so there's no reason the pedway entrances can't be just on the other side of the river.

First of all... I'm SO thankful that we don't have a skywalk system like Minne... skywalks DESTROY view corridors faster than anything else you can imagine.

Secondly... has anyone given serious consideration to the impact that a more extensive underground system would have on street-level pedestrian traffic during non-winter months? You know there are a slew of people who simply work or visit here because they think they "have to." I could easily see these people using the tunnels year-round (whether it be to avoid the "heat," or the "noise," or whatever it may be). Frankly, one of the things that seperates NY and Chicago from the pack is their pedestrian environments. If you give people too many options, you will start to see foot-traffic thin out, and this would seriously hurt the above-grade ambience (and not to mention retail) of downtown Chicago.

^Well put Geoff, You bring up a good point. The last thing we need is to reduce foot traffic at the street level. That is what helps keep the Loop alive.

Not a big fan of the pedway. Takes away the streetlife from above. Crystal City VA, has a huge underground walkway, and on street level, there is no one there even during the week days. Truely depressing. I like the free transfer between the blue and red lines, but the Pedway isn't the best idea.
It gets cold, but so what. If people can deal with it on N. Michigan in harsh conditions, people in the loop can do the same. If you hate the cold weather, why come to Chicago in Jan as a tourist? Why choose to live here? Only complete morons don't realize Chicagos rep as harsh winter place.