Whenever we read city planning articles or posts we automatically try to think how that idea or theory could apply to the Sloop. Over the weekend we read a post from Blair Kamin at the Chicago Tribune about the possibilities of pedestrian streets in Chicago.
It is a popular attribute of urban life in many foreign (especially European) cities and something some cities in the US have begun to implement (most notably New York in Times Square and Harold Square). Kamin's post doesn't specifically call out any locations in the Sloop that would be prime candidates to convert to pedestrian streets, but in our opinion the stretch of Dearborn between Polk on the South and Harrison on the North would be perfect.
As of now it's a large one way street with stores, restaurants and bars lining both sides. Although the street is used, it's not a vital stretch for car/bus/taxi traffic in the city mostly because there are north/south streets in close proximity Dearborn (Federal on the West and Plymouth on the East). Let me know if you disagree but it seems like these two streets could handle the traffic that would be diverted if Dearborn was paved over.
Obviously this is us just talking, but it seems logical in our opinion. Wouldn't it be great to have a pedestrian street in the heart of the Sloop? It's already nice and pleasant on Dearborn, but this would really improve the street. Let us know what you think.
