September 21, 2009 – What is the deal with all the sidewalks torn up in River North?

Dozens of corner sidewalks in the River North and nearby neighborhoods of downtown Chicago are being torn up and rebuilt to make them comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The city is installing shallow ramps at the corners. Since 2006, thousands of sidewalk ramps have been installed throughout the city, according to the Chicago Department of Transportation. It takes about a week to build a ramp, with crews working on one corner at a time.

After being constructed, “a rigorous quality-control review,” which can take another month, must be completed for each ramp.

Although there are many such projects throughout the city, according to CDOT spokesperson Brian Steele, “One of the biggest central-area projects covers the Loop, West Loop, Streeterville, and River North.”

A flier distributed to residents earlier in the year said the work will continue through the fall. Says CDOT, “Our goal is to make Chicago the most accessible city in the United States.”

(Above) The base of a tree planter, normally buried, is exposed as a sidewalk on North Clark Street is dug up to make it ADA-compliant. (Below) This photo from CDOT shows what a finished corner looks like.