[streetline]

It's infuriating if the River North nimbys have really managed to kill the pedestrian bridge. I'm close to the site as well, and if I could have seen it developed with the previous denser non-casino proposal I'd have preferred that, but to me the bridge is easily the most positive and forward thinking part of this proposal, and throwing it away out of fear casino goers would use it is such an absurdly short sighted position to take.

That area has river west on one side, river north on the other, an industrial void in between that's about to get redeveloped, and almost half a mile between walkable routes between the two at Grand and Chicago Avenues. A pedestrian bridge there, where the Erie bridge used to be, could well be the catalyst for making the mostly residential development proposed there walkable to downtown/transit/groceries/etc, and mitigating the future residents' need for cars. It could not just improve but help define the character of the neighborhood for decades to come. And the developers were going to pay for it!

I just hope that, if it's true that the bridge isn't happening, the city holds out for other pedestrian or bicycle or transit improvements of equal value at Bally's expense (perhaps a bigger nicer park and river walk, with under-bridge connectors included at Chicago and Ohio and good transitions from street to river level, or maybe something nice on the transitway ROW).