Lane Closures Around Jackson Park For Construction Of Obama Presidential Center

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A heads-up for drivers as some preliminary road construction work begins  Monday around Jackson Park to get ready for the Obama Presidential Center.

Here's what to expect: There will be daily lane closures during off-peak hours along Hayes Drive and South DuSable Lake Shore Drive and also along Stony Island Avenue.

This site preparation work is expected to last through mid March. As the work continues, several sections of roadway will be filled in and returned to parkland.

The Jackson Park Mobility Improvements Project was approved by the Chicago City Council in 2018. The construction work is designed to make it easier to walk and bike in the Jackson Park area, and prepare roadways for additional traffic in the coming years from visitors to the Obama Presidential Center.

Visit jacksonparkimprovements.org for more information and updates on the construction plans.

According to the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) the following areas will be worked on:

• Cornell Drive between North Midway Plaisance and Hayes Drive
• South Midway Plaisance between Stony Island Avenue and Cornell Drive
• Marquette Drive between Stony Island Avenue and Richards Drive
• Northbound Cornell Drive from 68th Street to where Cornell Drive becomes two-way

The city said some of the key improvements include:

• Enhancement of Stony Island Avenue with a new streetscape that includes planted medians, trees, left turn lanes at key intersections, new signals, and pedestrian safety refuge islands.

• Adding a travel lane in each direction on Stony Island Avenue from 59th Street to 65th Street, while maintaining on-street parking and loading lanes.

• New intersections on Stony Island Avenue at Midway Plaisance, 59th and 60th Streets with pedestrian, traffic safety and capacity improvements.

• Adding a third southbound travel lane on DuSable Lake Shore Drive from 57th Street to Hayes Drive.

• Improving capacity and safety on Hayes Drive between DuSable Lake Shore Drive and Cornell Drive.

• New pedestrian underpasses in Jackson Park under Hayes Drive west of DuSable Lake Shore Drive, with two of them under the new Hayes Drive and Cornell Drive intersection.
• New pathways within Jackson Park to provide to provide key connections for people biking or walking through the park, connecting the new and existing underpasses.