I biked over there yesterday and took a look. They've driven two squares of sheet piling, each about 20x20 feet, about 100 feet apart. Looks like they'd be along the east curbline of Wells-Wentworth. I presume it's so they can excavate storm sewer drop shafts. I think the promise was that this parcel would handle all its own stormwater runoff, so presumably the new shafts will connect to some filtration basin prior to discharge into the South Branch.

April 26, 2019

May 4th:

https://i.imgur.com/xiWk3j3.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/prpgrqg.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/1FHsEEQ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/M2tnF7n.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/tUvw7Xh.jpg

The Spire hole is contagious! Everybody panic :0

^hahah!

Interested to find out what this is really for, though. Would be cool if it is indeed a storm sewer drop shaft as Mr. Downtown guessed

May be work on the Wells-Wentworth connector project.

Yes, it's clearly part of Wells-Wentworth construction—but what, exactly? I'm thinking catch basins, maybe larger than usual or with sediment trapping capability.

Snapped a couple shoddy pictures. A bit more equipment over there than I remembered

https://i.imgur.com/uBTwuaF.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/y093Qw2.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/Ky96Je0.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/3mRMSKH.jpg?1

Crains stating that the U of I system is getting $1.9 billion, and $500 MM is going towards the Discovery Partners Institute. Pritzker had a change of heart?

That article also stated that the DPI has raised $400 MM in private money, although no details were given.

This thing looks like it might actually happen. Related Cos must be happy

^I'm certainly happy. Something to get this project going.

I read that article also, but it sounds like a lot of that money is going to other research facilities in the UI system and not necessarily the DPI.

Either way, given the money involved here I am expecting a top-flight architect and an award-worthy design. Too much to hope for Richard Rogers or SHoP? Maybe Norman Foster as a consolation prize after his excellent O’Hare design was not chosen?

^ That article specifically mentions $500 million for the DPI

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/educ...illion-funding

Forgive me for probably missing it somewhere earlier in the thread - are there any reasonably detailed schematics of the planned rail re-alignments, new roadways, etc? Will the Rock Island re-alignment also include any improvements to the level crossing with the SCAL?

I haven't yet seen anything at an engineering level of detail, but the most detailed site plans I've seen, in the PD, just show new diamonds at a different location. However, Related told me a few months ago that discussions with CN were ongoing, based on CN's subsequent announcement of single-tracking and realigning the SCAL. Because property—or at least easement—swaps are involved, it may be complicated by railroad lawyers.

https://i.imgur.com/CxiHCuu.jpg

Thanks. A grade separation would be tremendously beneficial, it would address the last major chokepoint on the Rock Island (now that Englewood is done), and this bottleneck will become much more prominent if Metra manages to shift the SWS to LaSalle as per long-term dreams following the 75th street projects to be funded by the new capital bill. Unless, would rebuilding the Grand Crossing connection allow CN to significantly reduce traffic on the SCAL?

I can't think how Grand Crossing would help anything regarding CN freight.

CN might be happy enough to give up the SCAL if they could ever get the EJE double-tracked. Right now it seems like they route important stuff on the J, and slow manifest freights of mostly empties on the Iowa Division/SCAL.

I don't have pics since I was driving and am a good citizen...

...but my back route home when LDS is jammed take's me down 16th to the Mariano's corner and then N. on Roosevelt.

There was a lot of construction equipment on site this week due West of that corner - where there's sort of a dirt ramp. They were all around the Metra tracks, but I couldn't tell if they were actually working on the tracks themselves or in the surrounding area.

Standard for the area. No relation to 78

https://i.imgur.com/vJH0gG4.jpg?1

waiting...