Solidarity Drive Underpass
Chicago, IL
Chastain provided Phase III construction engineering services for the reconstruction of Solidarity Drive Underpass and Museum Campus Circle Drive. The project is located in the city's museum campus directly abutting the John G. Shedd Aquarium.
The underpass, consisting of two bridges, provides uninterrupted access for the Lakefront Trail users, improves safety and access, and helps ease congestion in the area. The project also included reconstruction of the Museum Campus Circle Drive, relocation of the Thaddeus Kosciuszko Monument, a new "gateway" signing for the Adler Planetarium, extensive underground utility relocation, and reconstruction of a portion of the Burnham Harbor parking lot and entrance.
From the Lakefront Trail looking north at the John G. Shedd Aquarium.
Construction of the counterfort retaining wall.
Additional project details:
- Solidarity Drive is a manmade causeway built of rubble and other waste materials. Long buried large boulders placed to protect the causeway from erosion presented a challenge which was overcome by the construction of a counterfort retaining wall at the northeast wingwall of the underpass. The bottom photo shows the construction of the counterfort retaining wall behind the bulldozer.
- The project was partially funded by the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ).
- The project was completed in 2009 with a construction cost of $16.8 million.
- The project was awarded the 2010 ACEC-IL Merit Award for the recognition of the team's engineering efforts.