Is Grant Park the Proper Place for the Taste?

The Taste of Chicago recently wrapped up and we recently stumbled upon a strongly worded opinion piece from a South Loop resident about moving the Taste somewhere else (via Chicago Tribune):

I have lived in the South Loop for almost 10 years. During this period, I have seen this community grow and expand at a healthy pace, thus becoming only one of three community areas experiencing significant residential growth in Chicago. This trend continues with several high-rise buildings currently under construction, and others in the planning stages.

Regrettably, infrastructure improvements have not kept pace with the ensuing needs, particularly those having to do with the amelioration and prevention of traffic congestion. On several occasions throughout the year, traffic in the Loop and South Loop has become impassable and impossible.

There is more to the article and we suggest you read it to get the full point of view.  The resident finishes it with:

While I understand the need for the city to hold such events, I find the city’s complete and utter disregard for the impact these have on its residents and commuters quite inexcusable.

For years the city has promoted residential growth in the Loop and the South Loop. This expansion and these recreational events are no longer capable of coexisting as they did when the area was mostly business based. Now, and in the future, there is no longer sufficient space to accommodate both without major disruptions. The city should reassess what it’s doing in this area.

We definitely have felt the pain of increased traffic and congesting due to summer events, so understand the sentiment.  Is 15 days of street closures a little excessive for a 5 day festival?  Probably!

That being said, we also realize that living in the heart of a large, major American city comes with trade-offs (such as increased traffic and congestion due to these types of events).  

This is certainly not a black and white issue, but curious to hear what everyone thinks.  Do you agree with this Sloopin resident?

(Hat tip:  GM!)