Chicago begins $27 million project to redesign Logan Square traffic circle
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A busy traffic circle in the Logan Square neighborhood is getting a makeover thanks to a $27 million redesign project.
The project would reroute Milwaukee Avenue around the public square surrounding the Illinois Centennial Monument at the confusing intersection of Milwaukee and Kedzie avenues and Logan Boulevard.
Milwaukee currently bisects that square but would be reconfigured to create an actual one-way roundabout around the square, creating a larger public space.
The redesigned traffic circle would include protected bike lanes; curb extensions, raised crosswalks, and pedestrian islands to improve pedestrian safety; wider sidewalks to allow more space for outdoor dining at local restaurants; improved traffic signals; new streetlights; and additional landscaping and trees along the square.
LoganSquareConceptDesign_May2024 on Scribd
City officials said the project is designed to increase public space and improve safety for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.
The project also would create a new public plaza, La Placita, outside the nearby Logan Square Blue Line station. Kedzie Avenue would be rerouted around the new plaza to improve traffic flow and CTA bus service.
LaPlacitaDesign_May2024on Scribd
Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th) has been working on the project since he took office in 2015.
"We have an opportunity to beautify our neighborhood and to transform this community for generations to come," he said.
Mayor Brandon Johnson joined Ramirez-Rosa and other city officials on Wednesday morning for a ceremonial groundbreaking on the project.
"This is really a model for how the city of Chicago will continue to develop and modernize," Johnson said.
The work is expected to be completed by the summer of 2026.
