(Above) Workers (at left) wrangle rebar on the Chicago Riverwalk east of Franklin Street on Friday. (Click on images to view larger versions.)

Photos and text by Steven Dahlman

March 23, 2016 – The unfinished Chicago Riverwalk west of LaSalle Street is mostly green rebar and black pipes this week as work continues on the concrete slabs and drainage systems.

Chicago Department of Transportation says the slab at Water Plaza, the Riverwalk room between LaSalle and Wells, will be finished this week. Construction crews will also be installing concrete parts of the landscaping and back-filling areas of water with solid material. (Left) Workers inside a wooden form, into which concrete will be poured.

At Jetty, between Wells and Franklin, they are installing drain pipes and some electrical wiring. At Boardwalk, east of Franklin, work continues on back-filling, installing storm drains, and building the river wall to which boats will dock.

(Above) Workers assemble drain pipes on the Riverwalk between Wells and Franklin Streets.

(Below) De-watering Boardwalk. Unwanted water is pumped into the barge at upper left. It passes through filters inside the barge and spills into the Chicago River at lower right. According to Chicago Department of Transportation, the method was reviewed and approved by North Cook County Soil and Water Conservation District.