Chicago Pedway
Encyclopedia
The Chicago Pedway is a network of tunnel
s, ground-level concourses and overhead bridges
connecting skyscrapers, retail stores, hotels and train stations throughout the central business district of Chicago
, Illinois
. Having a length of more than 40 downtown blocks, it contains shops, restaurants and public art and helps pedestrians traverse this area of the city during inclement weather. Most connections to the pedway are commercial or government buildings. The Heritage at Millennium Park
, the Park Millennium, 200 North Dearborn Apartments, and Aqua are currently the only residential buildings connected to the Chicago Pedway.
The oldest portions of the Pedway, aside from the interiors of some included buildings, are the corridors between State
and Dearborn Streets, linking Chicago Transit Authority
's Red Line
and Blue Line
stations at Washington/Lake Streets and again at Jackson Street. These were constructed with the subways in 1939-1943; while the completion and outfitting of the Blue Line under Dearborn Street were interrupted by rationing in World War II
, the two mezzanine connector tunnels were opened and linked the Red Line under State Street to the sidewalks of Dearborn Street. Construction on the pedway proper began in 1951 and it has continued since then, especially after expansion of it was included in the Chicago 21 Plan
introduced in 1973.
The comparatively smaller but more elaborate eastern section of the pedway connecting the Illinois Center
buildings, Hyatt Regency
, Fairmont Hotel, Swissôtel and (later) Aqua, was not directly accessible from the main (Loop
-centric) pedway network, although each linked to one end of the Metra Electric Line
rail platform
which was controlled by turnstile
s and inaccessiable without paying the fare. Since the Regional Transportation Authority's removal of the turnstiles in November 2003, the two large pedway sections have been united by the platform. Conversely, the southern reach of the main network was reduced when the 2nd floor passage across Madison Street
, linking Three First National Plaza
with Bank One Plaza (now Chase Tower
), was removed in after the two buildings instituting security access controls in their lobbies to prevent the public from travelling to the 2nd and higher floors. The tunnels between Chase Tower and Two First National Plaza remain but are closed to the general public. Chase Tower is still connected to the Blue Line subway.
Numerous smaller pedways throughout the central business district are unconnected from the main network. These include the tunnel below Quincy Street and the Dirksen Federal Courthouse
, connecting the Red and Blue Lines' Jackson Street stations; the connections within and between the Ogilvie Transportation Center
and 2 North Riverside Plaza; the connections within and between the Merchandise Mart
and Apparel Center
; and the aforementioned passageways under Chase Tower's Exelon Plaza.
Points of entry and exit for the Pedway include:
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
s, ground-level concourses and overhead bridges
Pedway
Pedways are elevated or underground walkways, often connecting urban high-rises to each other, other buildings, or the street. They provide quick and comfortable movement from building to building, away from traffic and inclement weather. Two of the largest networks of underground walkways are...
connecting skyscrapers, retail stores, hotels and train stations throughout the central business district of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Having a length of more than 40 downtown blocks, it contains shops, restaurants and public art and helps pedestrians traverse this area of the city during inclement weather. Most connections to the pedway are commercial or government buildings. The Heritage at Millennium Park
The Heritage at Millennium Park
The Heritage at Millennium Park located at 130 N. Garland Court is a relatively new mixed use tower in Chicago. Completed in 2005 with a height of 631 feet and 57 floors, the building was designed by the architectural firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz .The tower's success lies mainly with its location;...
, the Park Millennium, 200 North Dearborn Apartments, and Aqua are currently the only residential buildings connected to the Chicago Pedway.
The oldest portions of the Pedway, aside from the interiors of some included buildings, are the corridors between State
State Street (Chicago)
State Street is a large south-north street in Chicago, Illinois, USA and its south suburbs. It begins on the Near North Side at North Avenue. For much of its course, it lies between Wabash Avenue on the east and Dearborn Street/Lafayette Avenue on the west...
and Dearborn Streets, linking Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago Transit Authority, also known as CTA, is the operator of mass transit within the City of Chicago, Illinois and some of its surrounding suburbs....
's Red Line
Red Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The northern terminus of the Red Line is Howard Street in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago , on the City Limits farthest north. The Red Line extends southeasterly on an elevated embankment structure about a half-mile west of the lakefront to Touhy Avenue then turns south along Glenwood...
and Blue Line
Blue Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The Blue Line consists of a long trunk line in the Chicago Transit Authority's rapid transit system which extends through Chicago's Loop from O'Hare International Airport at the far northwest end of the city, through downtown via the Milwaukee-Dearborn subway, and across the West Side to its...
stations at Washington/Lake Streets and again at Jackson Street. These were constructed with the subways in 1939-1943; while the completion and outfitting of the Blue Line under Dearborn Street were interrupted by rationing in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the two mezzanine connector tunnels were opened and linked the Red Line under State Street to the sidewalks of Dearborn Street. Construction on the pedway proper began in 1951 and it has continued since then, especially after expansion of it was included in the Chicago 21 Plan
Chicago 21 Plan
The Chicago 21 Plan was a comprehensive development plan released in 1973 intended to revitalize the areas surrounding the Chicago Loop, Chicago's central business district...
introduced in 1973.
The comparatively smaller but more elaborate eastern section of the pedway connecting the Illinois Center
Illinois Center
Illinois Center is a mixed-use urban development in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA, lying east of Michigan Avenue. It is notable in that the streets running through it have three levels. Elsewhere in Chicago, some streets have two levels, with the lower level for through traffic and service...
buildings, Hyatt Regency
Hyatt Regency Chicago
The Hyatt Regency Chicago is a Hyatt hotel on East Wacker Drive in Chicago, Illinois. The hotel operates over 2,018 guest rooms in two different towers which were constructed in 1974 and 1980. The towers are connected by both an above-ground skyway and an underground concourse...
, Fairmont Hotel, Swissôtel and (later) Aqua, was not directly accessible from the main (Loop
Chicago Loop
The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago...
-centric) pedway network, although each linked to one end of the Metra Electric Line
Metra Electric Line
The Metra Electric District is an electrified commuter rail line owned and operated by Metra which connects Millennium Station in downtown Chicago, with the city's southern suburbs...
rail platform
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
which was controlled by turnstile
Turnstile
A turnstile, also called a baffle gate, is a form of gate which allows one person to pass at a time. It can also be made so as to enforce one-way traffic of people, and in addition, it can restrict passage only to people who insert a coin, a ticket, a pass, or similar...
s and inaccessiable without paying the fare. Since the Regional Transportation Authority's removal of the turnstiles in November 2003, the two large pedway sections have been united by the platform. Conversely, the southern reach of the main network was reduced when the 2nd floor passage across Madison Street
Madison Street (Chicago)
Madison Street is a major east-west street in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to human intervention, the Chicago River emptied into Lake Michigan at the present day intersection of Madison Street and Michigan Avenue....
, linking Three First National Plaza
Three First National Plaza
Three First National Plaza is a 57-story office tower in Chicago. Completed in 1981, the building is one of the tallest in Chicago at . The building was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in a sawtooth shape to minimize obstructions it might cause to nearby buildings. The design also allows...
with Bank One Plaza (now Chase Tower
Chase Tower (Chicago)
Chase Tower, located in the Chicago Loop area of Chicago at 10 South Dearborn Street, is a 60 story skyscraper completed in 1969. At 850 feet tall, it is the tenth tallest building in Chicago, the tallest building inside the Chicago 'L' Loop elevated tracks, and the 32nd tallest in the United...
), was removed in after the two buildings instituting security access controls in their lobbies to prevent the public from travelling to the 2nd and higher floors. The tunnels between Chase Tower and Two First National Plaza remain but are closed to the general public. Chase Tower is still connected to the Blue Line subway.
Numerous smaller pedways throughout the central business district are unconnected from the main network. These include the tunnel below Quincy Street and the Dirksen Federal Courthouse
Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse
The Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse, commonly referred to as the Dirksen Federal Building, is a skyscraper in downtown Chicago, Illinois, at 219 South Dearborn Street. It was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and completed in 1964. The building is 384 feet tall, with 30...
, connecting the Red and Blue Lines' Jackson Street stations; the connections within and between the Ogilvie Transportation Center
Ogilvie Transportation Center
The Richard B. Ogilvie Transportation Center is a passenger terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA, serving the three commuter rail lines of Metra's Union Pacific District, which approach the terminal elevated above street level. It occupies the lower floors of the Citigroup Center...
and 2 North Riverside Plaza; the connections within and between the Merchandise Mart
Merchandise Mart
When opened in 1930, the Merchandise Mart or the Merch Mart, located in the Near North Side, Chicago, Illinois, was the largest building in the world with of floor space. Previously owned by the Marshall Field family, the Mart centralized Chicago's wholesale goods business by consolidating vendors...
and Apparel Center
350 West Mart Center
350 West Mart Center is the official name of the 24-floor multipurpose building located in the Near North Side community area of Chicago, at the intersection of the North Branch and the Main Branch of the Chicago River. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in 1977, the building is located in the...
; and the aforementioned passageways under Chase Tower's Exelon Plaza.
Points of entry and exit for the Pedway include:
- One North Dearborn Street
- One North State Street
- 2 North Riverside Plaza
- One Prudential PlazaOne Prudential PlazaOne Prudential Plaza is a 41-story structure in Chicago completed in 1955 as the headquarters for Prudential's Mid-America company...
(130 East Randolph Street) - Two First National Plaza
- Two Prudential PlazaTwo Prudential PlazaTwo Prudential Plaza is a super-tall skyscraper that was built in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois, United States in 1990. At 995 feet tall, it is currently the sixth-tallest building in Chicago and the thirteenth tallest in the United States. The building was designed by the firm Loebl,...
(180 North Stetson Avenue) - Three First National PlazaThree First National PlazaThree First National Plaza is a 57-story office tower in Chicago. Completed in 1981, the building is one of the tallest in Chicago at . The building was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in a sawtooth shape to minimize obstructions it might cause to nearby buildings. The design also allows...
(60 West Dearborn Street) - 25 East Washington Street
- 77 West Wacker Drive77 West Wacker Drive77 West Wacker Drive, also known as the United Building, is an office building in the Loop, Chicago. Finished in 1992, the building rises to a height of 668 ft with around of interior space. The building, with 51 floors, was designed by Ricardo Bofill...
- 120 North LaSalle120 North LaSalle120 North LaSalle is a 501ft tall skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois. It was constructed from 1989 to 1992. It is the 89th tallest building in the city....
- 139 North Wabash Avenue
- 200 North Dearborn Apartments
- 201 North Clark StreetClark Street (Chicago)Clark Street is a north-south street in Chicago, Illinois that runs close to the shore of Lake Michigan from the northern city boundary with Evanston, to 2200 South in the city street numbering system...
- 203 North LaSalle Street
- 303 East Wacker DriveWacker DriveWacker Drive is a major street in Chicago, Illinois, United States, running along the south side of the main branch and the east side of the south branch of the Chicago River...
- Aon CenterAon Center (Chicago)The Aon Center is a modern skyscraper in the Chicago Loop, Chicago, Illinois, United States, designed by architect firms Edward Durell Stone and The Perkins and Will partnership, and completed in 1973 as the Standard Oil Building...
(200 East Randolph Street) - Aqua
- Block 37 shopping mall at 108 North State Street108 North State Street108 North State Street is a site currently under development as an urban center located in the Loop community area of downtown Chicago, Illinois, United States. The 3 building structure is being developed by Joseph Freed and Associates LLC, as a project inherited from the Mills Corporation. Retail...
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower (300 East Randolph Street)
- Boulevard Towers
- Chase TowerChase Tower (Chicago)Chase Tower, located in the Chicago Loop area of Chicago at 10 South Dearborn Street, is a 60 story skyscraper completed in 1969. At 850 feet tall, it is the tenth tallest building in Chicago, the tallest building inside the Chicago 'L' Loop elevated tracks, and the 32nd tallest in the United...
- City Hall/County BuildingChicago City HallChicago City Hall is the official seat of government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. Adjacent to the Richard J. Daley Center and the James R...
- Chicago Cultural CenterChicago Cultural CenterThe Chicago Cultural Center, opened in 1897, is a Chicago Landmark building that houses the city's official reception venue where the Mayor of Chicago has welcomed Presidents and royalty, diplomats and community leaders. It is located in the Loop, across Michigan Avenue from Millennium Park...
(formerly main library & GARGrand Army of the RepublicThe Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
memorial) - Chicago Title and Trust Center (181 North Clark Street)
- Columbus Plaza
- Richard J. Daley Bicentennial Plaza
- Richard J. Daley CenterRichard J. Daley CenterThe Richard J. Daley Center, also known by its courtyard Daley Plaza and named after longtime mayor Richard J. Daley, is the premier civic center of the City of Chicago in Illinois. Situated on Randolph and Washington Streets between Dearborn and Clark Streets, the Richard J. Daley Center is...
(50 West Washington Street) - In front of the Dirksen Federal Building (interior not connected) (219 South Dearborn Street)
- George W. Dunne Cook County Administration Building (69 West Washington Street)
- Fairmont Hotel Chicago
- Grant ParkGrant Park (Chicago)Grant Park, with between the downtown Chicago Loop and Lake Michigan, offers many different attractions in its large open space. The park is generally flat. It is also crossed by large boulevards and even a bed of sunken railroad tracks...
underground parking garages - The Heritage at Millennium ParkThe Heritage at Millennium ParkThe Heritage at Millennium Park located at 130 N. Garland Court is a relatively new mixed use tower in Chicago. Completed in 2005 with a height of 631 feet and 57 floors, the building was designed by the architectural firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz .The tower's success lies mainly with its location;...
(130 North Garland Court) - Hyatt Regency HotelHyatt Regency ChicagoThe Hyatt Regency Chicago is a Hyatt hotel on East Wacker Drive in Chicago, Illinois. The hotel operates over 2,018 guest rooms in two different towers which were constructed in 1974 and 1980. The towers are connected by both an above-ground skyway and an underground concourse...
- Illinois CenterIllinois CenterIllinois Center is a mixed-use urban development in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA, lying east of Michigan Avenue. It is notable in that the streets running through it have three levels. Elsewhere in Chicago, some streets have two levels, with the lower level for through traffic and service...
- Lake CTA Red Line stationLake/State (CTA)Lake is an 'L' station on the CTA's Red Line. Lake is a transfer station between the Red Line and the Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, and Purple Lines at the State/Lake station...
- Leo Burnett BuildingLeo Burnett BuildingThe Leo Burnett Building, located on 35 West Wacker Drive at North Dearborn Street in the Chicago Loop, is a 46 story, 635 foot tall skyscraper above the Chicago River's west bank. When built in 1989, it was the 12th tallest structure in Chicago. It was designed by Kevin Roche-John Dinkeloo and...
(35 West Wacker Drive) - Macy'sMacy'sMacy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
in the Marshall Field and Company BuildingMarshall Field and Company BuildingMarshall Field and Company Building or Macy's at State Street is the former flagship location of the former Marshall Field's department store and the current location of the Chicago flagship of Macy's... - Millennium ParkMillennium ParkMillennium Park is a public park located in the Loop community area of Chicago in Illinois, USA and originally intended to celebrate the millennium. It is a prominent civic center near the city's Lake Michigan shoreline that covers a section of northwestern Grant Park. The area was previously...
- Ogilvie Transportation CenterOgilvie Transportation CenterThe Richard B. Ogilvie Transportation Center is a passenger terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA, serving the three commuter rail lines of Metra's Union Pacific District, which approach the terminal elevated above street level. It occupies the lower floors of the Citigroup Center...
(500 West Madison Street) - Millennium StationRandolph Street TerminalMillennium Station is a major commuter rail terminal in downtown Chicago that serves the Metra Electric Line to University Park, Blue Island, and South Chicago; and the South Shore Line to Gary and South Bend, Indiana...
(formerly Randolph Street Terminal) - Park Millennium
- Jay Pritzker PavilionJay Pritzker PavilionJay Pritzker Pavilion, also known as Pritzker Pavilion or Pritzker Music Pavilion, is a bandshell in Millennium Park in the Loop community area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located on the south side of Randolph Street and east of the Chicago Landmark Historic Michigan...
- Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel (formerly Stouffer Riviere)
- Smurfit-Stone BuildingSmurfit-Stone BuildingSmurfit-Stone Building is a 41 story, 582 foot skyscraper located at 150 North Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago, Illinois. It was also known as the Stone Container Building and was formerly called the Associates Center...
(150 North Michigan Avenue) - The Sporting Club
- Sullivan Center (formerly Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co.) (1 South State Street)
- Swissôtel Chicago
- James R. Thompson CenterJames R. Thompson CenterThe James R. Thompson Center is located at 100 W. Randolph Street in the Loop, Chicago, Illinois and houses offices of the State of Illinois. The building opened in May 1985 as the State of Illinois Center. It was renamed in 1993 to honor former Illinois Governor James R. Thompson...
(100 West Randolph) - Washington CTA Blue Line stationWashington/Dearborn (CTA)Washington is a rapid transit station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system. It is situated between the Clark/Lake and Jackson stations on the Milwaukee-Dearborn subway segment of the Blue Line in downtown Chicago near the Richard J. Daley Center...
- Washington CTA Red Line stationWashington/State (CTA)Washington/State is an indefinitely closed 'L' station on the CTA's Red Line. It was a subway station in the State Street Subway located at 128 North State Street in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Nearby places of interest include Chicago City Hall, the Richard J...
(mothballed indefinitely)
External links
- Chicago Pedway maps made with 2010 City of Chicago data and Pedway segment information at wvaughan.org
- Chicago Pedway map and legend at City of Chicago as a PDF document
- Subterranean City: A Tour of Chicago's Pedway
- Chicago Pedway online map and high quality printable PDF map at spiegl.org
- Chicago Pedway group on Flickr