Just in time to welcome the bustling holiday season in Greektown Chicago, IDOT (Illinois Department of Transportation) has announced that the two primary bridges over the Kennedy Expressway (I90/94) leading into Greektown – at Jackson Boulevard (eastbound) and Adams Street (westbound) – are scheduled to reopen, following construction that began in March 2014. Both bridges are now wider, with two travel lanes and 10-foot-wide sidewalks, along with a dedicated bike lane on the Jackson Boulevard bridge. They also include new retaining and noise walls and new lighting, pavement and signage between Halsted and Des Plaines streets.
“Members of the Greektown SSA #16 are relieved about the completed reconstructed bridges that provide valuable access to our neighborhood, enabling visitors and the community better pedestrian and vehicular accessibility to our beloved Greek restaurants and retailers – especially with upcoming holiday programming starting this month,” shares West Central Association Chamber of Commerce Director of Operations Rod Burch.
With the bridges open and accessible, Chicagoans and visitors alike can more easily visit the Greektown neighborhood, just in time for holiday dining and shopping. Greektown is lit up in festive blue and white lights along Halsted Street and kicks off the holiday season with programs and events. The Holiday Shopper’s Reward Program offers a $50 rebate when you shop and dine in Greektown Chicago now through December 31. Community members and visitors are welcome to join Greektown’s Annual Holiday Tree-Lighting Celebration on Sunday, December 11 at 4 p.m. at Elysian Field with caroling by Chicagoland Greek schools. Folks can also celebrate the holiday season Greektown-style with an evening of live music and a cocktail tasting featuring Metaxa Greek Brandy at Artopolis Café on Thursday, December 15 from 5-8 p.m. The streets of Greektown will be decorated for the holidays with lights and the traditional Greek Holiday Karavákia Display, showcasing vibrant illuminated boats in neighborhood businesses starting now through January 6. For more information on Greektown holiday events and programs, visit www.greektownchicago.org.
In addition to the eastbound and westbound renovations to the Jackson and Adams bridges, the inbound Kennedy ramps to southbound Jackson Boulevard and to Adams Street will also reopen. The Jackson Boulevard ramp and the Adams Street ramp to the outbound Kennedy is anticipated to reopen in late December. The overall reconstruction project at the Jane Byrne Interchange will improve safety and traffic flow for the more than 400,000 motorists who use it each day, while also enhancing mobility for bicyclists, pedestrians and transit users in the surrounding neighborhoods. For more information, visit www.janebyrneinterchange.org.
About Greektown Chicago
Greektown is a dining, nightlife and cultural district located on the Near West Side of Chicago. A popular destination for tourists and Chicago residents alike, Greektown offers the best sampling of Greek heritage outside of Athens—from authentic restaurants, cafes and shops to the National Hellenic Museum and annual Taste of Greektown festival. Greektown Special Service Area #16 is the business improvement district for the neighborhood, administered by sole service provider the West Central Association and guided by a volunteer commission of local business owners, property owners and residents. For more information, visit GreektownChicago.org.