Transportation Warning for all Sox Fans

[joeynach]

I thought I would take this time to tell you guys some information that’s going to be important in getting to sox games come April. I work as a Civil Engineer for a leading Transportation Engineering firm here in Chicago. We provide consulting services for design and construction of various transportation projects, one of which we have (along with many other consultants) is the Dan Ryan construction.

 

I personally do not work on this project, but I was doing some field work with the crew the past couple days and came across some useful information. First of all the Ryan is going back to bigtime reduction starting March 1st. All the local lanes will be closed from 29th to the Skyway in order to finish the construction to the retaining walls, local access ramps, and reconfigure the lanes to match the new future lanes and alignment to the south section from 67th to 95th. The schedule for this is from March 1st to I believe November or December. It’s basically going to be the same thing as before when the Ryan was Reduced to reconstruct the Express Lanes (April 2006 to November 2006). That portion I was told actually finished 6 weeks ahead of schedule as it wasn’t slated to finish until December 31st 2006. Since it finished earlier it moved the schedule to reconstruct and finish the local lanes and south section of the Ryan, which was also originally scheduled to begin April 2007, now is moved up to March 2007. The entire south section is going to be gutted and reconstructed and a 5th lane added to 95th street, but I don’t know the timeframe for that.

 

My job was to take a look at the Alternate Routes set up and check the signals. The Ashland Avenue route has been configured to give progressive green signals as you drive the entire stretch from 95th St to Congress, same with the Stoney Island route. It seems to work OK, took me about 35 min to drive the section on average.

 

Furthermore, there are some problems with the 33rd St bridge construction. It was supposed to be ready by April 1st and ready to connect to the Red Line stop there was well. I know the sox route cars off the Ryan into the lots via crossing over on 33rd St, but it won’t be ready by opening day. The problem was the severe cold weather over the past month or so. It seems when they were laying down the steel beams that span the bridge, that support the road deck, the connector plates holes for bolting them together shrunk. I was told extreme cold such as the -30 wind chills we had, which they don’t work in anyway, can shrink the diameter of the holes in the connector plates that secure the span beams from each side. So new parts had to be ordered to let the beams, already in place, make a secure connection to the plates. That process put the project behind schedule by at least 3 weeks.

 

So they you have it sox fans. If I hear anything else Ill let you all know.

Edited February 22, 2007 by joeynach

[kapkomet]

Well, "wind chill" doesn't do anything to steel tempratures, but, I'm sure the -10 did.

 

That's good info, thanks for it.

[southsider2k5]

Thanks for the info

[soxfan3530]

That Sucks! But thanks for the heads up!

[GoSox05]

i dont think it will be that bad. It wasnt that bad before when it was express lanes that were closed. ive been driving it every day east to west since last august and only had maybe one or two really bad traffic days.

 

Id say try it out and if its really bad just take the closed exit.

 

Or take 55 to damen and cut across bridgeport.

 

I like to check ABC-7 traffic webiste. it will show bad things are backed up.

[Kid Gleason]

I thought I would take this time to tell you guys some information that’s going to be important in getting to sox games come April. I work for a leading as a Civil Engineer for a leading Transportation Engineering firm here in Chicago. We provide consulting services for design and construction of various transportation projects, one of which we have (along with many other consultants) is the Dan Ryan construction.

 

I personally do not work on this project, but I was doing some field work with the crew the past couple days and came across some useful information. First of all the Ryan is going back to bigtime reduction starting March 1st. All the local lanes will be closed from 29th to the Skyway in order to finish the construction to the retaining walls, local access ramps, and reconfigure the lanes to match the new future lanes and alignment to the south section from 67th to 95th. The schedule for this is from March 1st to I believe November or December. It’s basically going to be the same thing as before when the Ryan was Reduced to reconstruct the Express Lanes (April 2006 to November 2006). That portion I was told actually finished 6 weeks ahead of schedule as it wasn’t slated to finish until December 31st 2006. Since it finished earlier it moved the schedule to reconstruct and finish the local lanes and south section of the Ryan, which was also originally scheduled to begin April 2007, now is moved up to March 2007. The entire south section is going to be gutted and reconstructed and a 5th lane added to 95th street, but I don’t know the timeframe for that.

 

My job was to take a look at the Alternate Routes set up and check the signals. The Ashland Avenue route has been configured to give progressive green signals as you drive the entire stretch from 95th St to Congress, same with the Stoney Island route. It seems to work OK, took me about 35 min to drive the section on average.

 

Furthermore, there are some problems with the 33rd St bridge construction. It was supposed to be ready by April 1st and ready to connect to the Red Line stop there was well. I know the sox route cars off the Ryan into the lots via crossing over on 33rd St, but it won’t be ready by opening day. The problem was the severe cold weather over the past month or so. It seems when they were laying down the steel beams that span the bridge, that support the road deck, the connector plates holes for bolting them together shrunk. I was told extreme cold such as the -30 wind chills we had, which they don’t work in anyway, can shrink the diameter of the holes in the connector plates that secure the span beams from each side. So new parts had to be ordered to let the beams, already in place, make a secure connection to the plates. That process put the project behind schedule by at least 3 weeks.

 

So they you have it sox fans. If I hear anything else Ill let you all know.

 

Who are you with? I also work with an Engineering film. PM me if you would rather.

[klaus kinski]

i dont think it will be that bad. It wasnt that bad before when it was express lanes that were closed. ive been driving it every day east to west since last august and only had maybe one or two really bad traffic days.

 

Id say try it out and if its really bad just take the closed exit.

 

Or take 55 to damen and cut across bridgeport.

 

I like to check ABC-7 traffic webiste. it will show bad things are backed up.

 

It will not be like last year-whaen entrances to the X way were open-there's signs all along southbound entrances that they will be closed 3/1/07. If you are heading South, forget about using 90-94-you will not be able to get on.

[joeynach]

It will not be like last year-whaen entrances to the X way were open-there's signs all along southbound entrances that they will be closed 3/1/07. If you are heading South, forget about using 90-94-you will not be able to get on.

 

They will defiantly be closed. Thats because the bulk of this work is for the local lanes. I believe the local lanes are going to be ripped out and reconstructed because the pavement is being constructed of concrete and last I checked at least the thru lanes of the locals were still the old asphalt. Although, the new on and off ramps and merge areas are concrete and were completed a year or two ago. The new local lanes will look just like the new express ones that were completed not too long ago; improved barrier, lighting, drainage, etc.

[IlliniKrush]

Who wants to drive when parking is 20 bucks anyway?

[NorthSideSox72]

Who wants to drive when parking is 20 bucks anyway?

Seriously. Red line or green line all the way. And in 2008... Metra.

[joeynach]

Who wants to drive when parking is 20 bucks anyway?

 

If you only knew where the free street parking is...

[Balance]

If you only knew where the free street parking is...

Exactly. You just have to be willing to walk a little bit.

[GoSox05]

Exactly. You just have to be willing to walk a little bit.

 

 

yeah there actually is lots of free parking. The walk not to bad as long as its nice out. Just dont park on my street please.

[Balance]

yeah there actually is lots of free parking. The walk not to bad as long as its nice out. Just dont park on my street please.

Don't worry, I don't. The spot I like is not on a residential street.

[joeynach]

I also recently found out that inbound I-57 is going to be down to 1 lane starting in about a month that will probably last all summer long and into fall. The bishop is down to 1 lane inbound now and this all has to do with the reconstruction of the 94/57 interchange. So word is I-57 is going to back up the way the bishop does now coming in from about 107th in. The best alternate I have found from my alt route study at work is to get off on 111th street and get on Vincennes going north. Vincennes will then dump you right back on the ryan at 69th street. At least u avoid the back up from lane reduction.

[brokensecrets]

See I live by Midway, so I never take the Dan Ryan. I just take Archer all the way to 35th, and go straight down.

 

Or I take the Red Line, for that matter. Doesn't cost me anything.

Edited March 12, 2007 by brokensecrets

[joeynach]

See I live by Midway, so I never take the Dan Ryan. I just take Archer all the way to 35th, and go straight down.

 

Or I take the Red Line, for that matter. Doesn't cost me anything.

 

Well you are just a pimp daddy!!

[itsnotrequired]

All the information you need about lane closures, etc. can be found at the project website.

 

http://danryanexpressway.com/

[SnB]

last year it was supposed to be terrible and I didn't think it was all that bad. It maybe took an extra 5-10 minutes each way.

 

(I'm coming from the south suburbs, so I'm taking 57 to the ryan)