With the successful completion of the water main installation at LaSalle Street and Lake Shore Drive, the Department of Water Management is ready to begin work installing a new main at Fullerton Parkway and Lake Shore Drive. As with LaSalle Street, the pipe will be placed under Fullerton as it passes beneath the Drive. This allows the Water Department to retire three 6-inch mains that run under the actual pavement of the Drive. It is a less disruptive installation and allows for easy access should repairs be necessary in the future.
The week of Feb. 16 is being spent moving equipment and preparing for the commencement of real construction work. Starting the week of Feb. 23, work will get underway, and so will the following traffic changes.
Two westbound lanes will remain open on Fullerton Parkway under Lake Shore Drive. If you want to exit the northbound Drive at Fullerton and head west, this will be unchanged.
Two eastbound lanes will be closed just beneath Lake Shore Drive. They will become the work zone for the crew. If you want to go northbound on Lake Shore Drive, you can either head south to LaSalle and use exit and entrance ramps to turn yourself around, or you can use an alternative to Fullerton Parkway (such as Belmont Ave., Irving Park Rd., etc.).
The approach to the southbound on-ramp at Fullerton and Lake Shore Drive will be narrowed to one lane (eastbound). In theory, this has always been a single lane approach, but now there will be barriers to enforce the rule.
The southbound off-ramp will always remain open, but for a few days the Water Dept. will be installing a main across the ramp. This will be done at night, and installation will be staggered in order to keep traffic flowing.
Traffic on Lake Shore Drive should not be affected, and nobody's water will be turned off during the work.
Motorists are advised to give themselves extra time for the first few days, and to consider alternative routes.
The Water Dept. is working two shifts a day on the job in order to speed completion, and working in winter to be out of the way before the warm weather draws people to the Lakefront.
Work should be completed in March. |
