Chicago’s Elevated Bloomingdale Trail

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The summer of 2013 will share another green new beginning for Chicago, one America’s most progressive and conscientious urban areas. Energetic naturalistic visions of moving about without cumbersome cars will manifest, bringing free-flowing travel for pedestrians and bicyclists. Why? How? Because development of the new, elevated Bloomingdale Trail is now underway.

Bloomingdale Trail Final Design

Conscientious Travel by Foot and Bike; Imagination Manifesting

Construction officially starts in Summer 2013 for the 3-mile-long, elevated, linear park and trail running route through the heart of Chicago. The trail will connect neighborhoods, the river, and Chicago’s great park system.
 
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Built from a former rail line, the Bloomingdale will make Chicago’s residents healthier, get people to school and work faster, and provide communities with great chances to play and mingle. It will be open to bikers and pedestrians in the fall of 2014, while landscaping work and art installations will continue through 2015.

Biking and walking trails are key to sustainable mobility. So, it’s great to see Chicago implementing such a fun and important project.

Uniquely Planned, the Path Less Found

This Bloomingdale park and trail, via Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, is one of a considerate and unusual construction, with a raised landscape and many sought-after views to be experienced by the travelers.

The trail is a new essence and style of park; it is something different for city dwellers and travelers. Once an interurban rail line, now with new life, the Bloomingdale intersects multiple communities along Bloomingdale Avenue, is directly adjacent to many privately owned buildings, and passes over major vehicular arterials, an historic boulevard, bus and bicycle routes, and the CTA Blue Line.

What was, what is, and what will soon come to pass: a 3-mile-long elevated linear park and trail running through the heart of Chicago.

Bloomingdale Trail Final Draft
Bloomingdale Trail
Bloomingdale Trail @ Whipple
Bloomingdale Trail Final Design Public
Bloomingdale Trail Final Design Public Meeting

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Cynthia Shahan

Cynthia Shahan, started writing after previously doing research and publishing work on natural birth practices. Words can be used improperly depending on the culture you are in. (Several unrelated publications) She has a degree in Education, Anthropology, Creative Writing, and was tutored in Art as a young child thanks to her father the Doctor. Pronouns: She/Her

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