Last week’s updates from Halsted Pointe and the Chicago Avenue Bridge left many of us clamoring for drone views from high above River West. Our attempts at setting the delay timer for three seconds, throwing the camera in the air, and seeing what shots it captured before landing didn’t produce any shareable results. Thankfully, Friend-Of-YIMBY Patrick Williams heard our cries and stepped up again — way up — with a flyover of Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street as the sun was setting Sunday evening.
And just in case you missed the editor’s note on the bridge post, the Chicago Department of Transportation project site shows completion for the Halsted Street Viaduct in December of this year, with Chicago Avenue Bridge replacement now expecting a spring 2027 finish. Shout-out to the 42nd Ward office for their assistance on our schedule inquiry.
The Chicago Avenue-Halsted Street intersection, looking north. Image provided by Patrick Williams
Image provided by Patrick Williams
Chicago Avenue just east of Halsted Street. Casino at right; Universal Horror Unleashed at top. Image provided by Patrick Williams
Looking east on Chicago Avenue from above the intersection with North Halsted Street. Image provided by Patrick Williams
The west side of the Chicago Avenue Bridge. Bally’s Casino at top right. Image provided by Patrick Williams
Image provided by Patrick Williams
The Halsted Street Bridge and Prairie Material. Image provided by Patrick Williams
A new section of the Halsted Street Viaduct extending north from Chicago Avenue. Image provided by Patrick Williams
Looking south down Halsted Street. Image provided by Patrick Williams
Image provided by Patrick Williams
Chicago Avenue, as it begins its eastward descent from Halsted Street. Image provided by Patrick Williams
Looking north up Halsted Street from West Erie Street. Image provided by Patrick Williams
Patrick even threw in a couple shots of Halsted Points and Bally’s Casino.
Halsted Pointe. Image provided by Patrick Williams
Bally’s Casino. Image provided by Patrick Williams
Bally’s Casino. Image provided by Patrick Williams
Thank you again, Patrick!
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Awesome shots!!
Great shots!
Daniel, I really appreciate the bits of humor you inject into your articles. Hopefully you were able to catch the cameras!
Thank you, Patrick!
Awesome shots and post, thank you for the updates. I have one (probably dumb) question. What is the point of making the intersection so massive when it just funnels into narrow roads? Like where it meets the Halsted bridge to the North?
I think it’s just the turn lanes – eg southbound halsted splits from two to four lanes (right turn only and left turn only).
Has Bally’s restarted work on the non gambling portions of their revelopment or are they and the city estranged ?
George, I went by a couple weeks and they were working at the top of the hotel tower again.
I wonder if this really needed to be rebuilt as a viaduct. I don’t think the rail line beneath it is still in use. They could have rebuilt the intersection at-grade and saved a small fortune in the long-run.
The grading relating to the bridges (specifically Halsted to the North) likely necessitates the raised intersection. Changing it would also change the ingress/egress into all the adjacent buildings which would be challenging to get property owners to agree to.
some of those buildings were there before the viaduct was built to accommodate the passenger train rail yard.
the viaduct is a huge waste of money, but ROW is ROW and UP didn’t want to abandon it.
Thank you Patrick! Great shots! I was dying to know the progress on the ground. I guess December deadline seems doable now for the viaduct.
Thank you so much for this!
Hope they start pouring concrete before the temps drop.
It’s impressive how much can be done with concrete in below-freezing temperatures, but it’s not an easy task.
Is there any reason they can’t work 2 shifts on this project? I know there is residential east of the river but seems like they could have cut the closure down significantly.
Great pics! Living in that corner at Halsted/Chicago I can’t wait for at least one of those streets to reopen? Why do they keep that unused railroad track nobody uses? They could just tear it out and also make that Grand Ave crossing less bumpy.