Chicago Lakefront Corridor Analysis

About this Project

Urban GIS and our partner, Wight & Co. Engineering, were tasked with conducting a planning study for the Lakeshore Drive corridor in the City of Chicago. This crucial transportation network is one of the most recognizable arterial streets in the world and is relied on by millions of travelers every week. As Chicago grows and the lakefront continues to develop, the strain placed on road infrastructure grows as well. We provided demographic analysis and network analysis, as well as map exhibits for the final planning report of this iconic road and the adjacent communities.

With a trove of data to process, we utilized several suites of programs to address the issue of understanding the current conditions of the corridor, as well as project conditions in the future. Project team analysts processed millions of records related to traffic information and demographics through an Access database in order to digest it in more manageable segments.

We were able to provide the Chicago Transit Authority with the exhibits and data needed to make crucial capital improvement investments to one of the most important stretches of highway in the city. The quality of the information was paramount to making proper investment choices, as well as dictating the timing of those decisions. The work completed by the project team will surely influence the lakefront for decades to come as civilian infrastructure is upgraded and real estate is developed to serve an ever-growing populace.