After attending the Bridging the Ike meeting, I was disappointed to hear that Home Avenue is not part of the I-290 Corridor project. Home Avenue is considered a pedestrian bridge and thus not part of the IDOT scope; it would be addressed at a later date. Before we are too far down the project planning process, consideration should be given to making Home Avenue a vehicular bridge.
Currently, residents in this area can only cross 290 at the intersections of Harlem and Oak Park avenues. Harlem is a disaster with heavy congestion due to the el station and 290 ramps. Oak Park Avenue is the busiest north-south street in the village, and with only one lane, it is fairly congested due to its narrowness. Other vehicle bridges in Oak Park are about 4-5 blocks apart, making it much easier to get across 290. While it is good to encourage more bike and pedestrian access, Americans love their cars and use them daily to get around.
If the first pillar of the Bridging the Ike project is “Connecting the Community,” then consideration should be given to what it might take to expand the Home Avenue bridge to vehicles.
I would hazard a guess that most OP residents didn’t even know Home Avenue is a pedestrian bridge, since it doesn’t affect them. However, for the residents in this area of SWOP (Southwest Oak Park), it has a significant impact on our daily lives.
David Enderle
Oak Park