If you aren't familiar: http://heyjackass.com/For me it was an article about this weekend's gun violence: 40 wounded, 5 dead. Damn.
Back on topic:
I have never understood this project. Then again, I have never understood any (able-bodied) person who will do an intermodal transfer to go such a short distance. But apparently enough people do it to justify all those privately-run coach shuttles that operate between the stations in the West Loop and the major buildings in and around the Illinois Center. This won't erase the need for a transit tunnel under Clinton and a true downtown circulator in the long term, but it's better than nothing. And if it fixes the lawnessness that is Canal between Adams and Van Buren, well, then I guess I'm okay with it.
It's frustrating watching how much the city pours into stopgap measures rather than ponying up for what needs to be done, but it's tough to pull together the kind of capital that those projects need with the state of the city's finances being what they are.
Honestly, this is the only thing exciting about this project:
mprovements for access to Union Station will incorporate a top-to-bottom redesign of Canal Street between Adams Street and Jackson, officials said.
The existing CTA bus lane on the west side of Canal, a barrier-protected route that goes against the flow of northbound traffic, will be eliminated by moving buses to the new transit center on Jackson. Two travel lanes on the west side of Canal will become two northbound general traffic lanes.
A taxi stand and waiting area will be established in the protected median area along Canal between Jackson and Adams, with crosswalks connecting it to the sidewalk. A dedicated stopping area for intercity buses contracted by Amtrak, as well as space for private shuttle buses, will operate from the east side of Canal.
The staging area for Megabus service will be relocated to near the Blue Line subway entrance on Clinton, according to CDOT.
The northbound bike lane on Canal will be removed and the southbound bike lane on Clinton will be converted into two protected lanes serving both northbound and southbound directions, CDOT said.