All three levels of Wacker Drive, east of Columbus Drive, including a ramp between the upper and lower (middle) levels

Wacker Drive is a major street in Chicago, Illinois, United States, running along the south side of the main branch and the east side of the south branch of the Chicago River. The street is a multilevel street that runs from 340 north at 400 east to 200 north at 340 west and along 360 west from 188 north to 424 south in the Chicago street address system in the Loop community area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States.^[1] The vast majority of it is double-decked; the upper level intended for local traffic, and the lower level for through-traffic and trucks servicing buildings on the road (and originally a dock). It is sometimes cited as a precursor to the modern freeway, though when built the idea was that pleasure vehicles would use the upper level. It is one of a few streets in the city that has addresses on all four cardinal directions. Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1984x1488, 780 KB) This image has been (or is hereby) released into the public domain by its creator, Knowledge Seeker. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1984x1488, 780 KB) This image has been (or is hereby) released into the public domain by its creator, Knowledge Seeker. ... Looking west at the three-level Columbus Drive from Lakeshore East Looking southwest at the three-level Columbus Drive from Upper Wacker Drive Columbus Drive is a north-south street in Chicago, Illinois. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... The Chicago River is 156 miles (251 km) long[1], and flows through downtown Chicago. ... Service level South Water Street; there are three levels here Downtown Chicago, Illinois, both north and south of the Chicago River, has some double-decked and even a few triple-decked streets. ... Night view of the tollbooths as you enter Chicago from the Chicago Skyway // Chicagos streets primarily follow the grid system established by the Chicago Board of Aldermen in 1908 and implemented on September 1, 1909. ... The Loop is what locals call the downtown neighborhood of Chicago. ... The city Chicago, Illinois, is divided into seventy-seven community areas. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Double-decker bus next to a Ferrari A double-decker is a bus, aeroplane, train, tram, ferry or any public transit vehicle that has two levels for passengers, one deck above the other. ... A dock is an area of water between two piers or alongside a pier, forming a chamber used for building or repairing one ship. ... Interstate 80 (Eastshore Freeway) in Berkeley, California: a typical American freeway (MUTCD definition) A freeway, also known as a highway, superhighway, autoroute, autobahn, autostrada, dual carriageway, expressway, Autosnelweg or motorway, depending on the country of discussion, is a type of road designed for safer high-speed operation of motor vehicles...

The upper level is normally known as Upper Wacker Drive and the lower level is Lower Wacker Drive. A short part has a third level, sometimes called Lower Lower Wacker Drive, Sub-Lower Wacker Drive, Wacker Drive, Service Level, Lowest Wackest or Bottom Wacker. Near the eastern end of the road, other two and three level streets connect to Wacker Drive. Service level South Water Street; there are three levels here Downtown Chicago, Illinois, both north and south of the Chicago River, has some double-decked and even a few triple-decked streets. ...

History

Logo for the 2001-2002 project

In 1909, architects Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett drew up a plan to improve traffic flow in Chicago, and presented it to the Commercial Club of Chicago. The major part was a double-decked roadway along the river. Charles H. Wacker, chairman of the Chicago Plan Commission, pushed the idea. Relieving the congestion at Wacker Drive and Rush Street where 50% of the city's north-south traffic crossed the Chicago River was a major part of the plan. Image File history File links Revive_Wacker_Drive. ... Year 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... For other uses, see Architect (disambiguation). ... Daniel H. Burnham. ... The Commercial Club of Chicago is a civic improvement club resulted from the 1907 merger of two predecessor Chicago clubs[1]: the Merchants Club (organized in 1896) and the Commercial Club (organized in 1877). ... Double-decker bus next to a Ferrari A double-decker is a bus, aeroplane, train, tram, ferry or any public transit vehicle that has two levels for passengers, one deck above the other. ... Charles Henry Wacker (29 August 1856 - 31 October 1929), born in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, was a businessman and philanthropist. ... The Chicago Plan Commission is a commission implemented to champion the enactment of the Burnham Plan as published in The Plan of Chicago. ... Rush Street is a street in the Near North Side community area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. ... The Chicago River is 156 miles (251 km) long[1], and flows through downtown Chicago. ...

The original double-decker road was completed in 1926 at a cost of $8 million, and named after Wacker. The 1926 section stretched from Lake Street to Michigan Avenue, the latter of which was also rebuilt into a two-level road. Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lake Street is a road in Chicagoland which is part of U.S. Route 20. ... The Michigan Avenue Bridge across the Chicago River. ...

An extension south to Congress Parkway and Harrison Street was built between 1948 and 1954, replacing Market Street (after the Market Stub of the elevated Lake Street Line was removed[1]); extensions east were built in 1963 and 1975, with the latter taking it to Lake Shore Drive, and a new lower level starting at Stetson Avenue. At the time, Lake Shore Drive had an S-curve at the river, running where Wacker now does between Field Boulevard and current Lake Shore Drive. This S-curve was on a viaduct over the Illinois Central Railroad's rail yard, and was at the level of Upper Wacker; the middle and lower levels dead-ended at that point. The current alignment of Lake Shore Drive was finished in 1986, and in 1987 Middle Wacker was extended to meet the new alignment. The ramps to bring upper traffic down had already been built; upper has been dead-ended where it used to end at Lake Shore Drive. Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The double-decker Lake Shore Drive Bridge across the Chicago River; Wacker Drive is visible in the background Lake Shore Drive at the Chicago River in 1941 Looking northeast across Lakeshore East at the triple-decker Wacker Drive. ... Torontos Bloor Street Viaduct bridges the Don valley; road traffic uses the upper deck, rail traffic uses the lower deck. ... The Illinois Central (AAR reporting mark IC), sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, was a railroad carrier in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. ... A rail yard, or railroad yard, is a complex series of railroad tracks for storing, sorting, or loading/unloading, railroad cars and/or locomotives. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ...

Wacker is the only street to cross both State Street (the east-west center line) and Madison Avenue (the north-south center line). State Street is the name given to one of the major thoroughfares in Chicago, Illinois. ... Madison Avenue is a north-south avenue in the borough of Manhattan in New York City which carries northbound one-way traffic. ...

Popular culture

• Wacker Drive had a "cameo" credit in the 1980 film, The Blues Brothers. The climactic high-speed chase scene occurs along various downtown streets (filmed on Sundays with the downtown cordoned off). When the brothers take the Bluesmobile down to the express level, Elwood mentions the street by name: "Well, this is definitely Lower Wacker Drive. If my estimations are correct, we should be very close to the Honorable Richard J. Daley Plaza." Jake: "That's where they've got that Picasso." Elwood: "Yep."
• Wacker Drive was also featured in the Batmobile chase scene in the movie Batman Begins.
• In the movie Call Northside 777, scenes are set in a tower on Wacker Drive looking toward the Merchandise Mart.

The Blues Brothers is a 1980 musical comedy directed by John Landis and starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as Joliet Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from a Saturday Night Live musical sketch. ... Richard Joseph Daley (May 15, 1902 – December 20, 1976) was the longest-serving mayor of Chicago. ... Richard J. Daley Center is Chicagos premier civic center and features a massive sculpture by Pablo Picasso. ... The Picasso The Chicago Picasso (often just The Picasso) is an untitled monumental sculpture by Pablo Picasso in Chicago. ... For the novel based on the film, see Batman Begins (novelization). ... Call Northside 777 is a 1948 documentary-style drama film directed by Henry Hathaway. ... The Chicago Merchandise Mart North side of the Merchandise Mart Behind the Merchandise Mart A display inside the Merchandise Mart The Merchandise Mart is one of the largest commercial buildings in the world, located in Chicago, Illinois. ...

Intersections

Two aerial views in 1926

A side view, as seen from the Chicago River

Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago

The following streets intersect Wacker Drive, from south to north and west to east. Most upper-level streets that end at Wacker Drive, with only right turns allowed, are not included. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x744, 673 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x744, 673 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1087x452, 34 KB) w:Wacker Drive side view from the river. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1087x452, 34 KB) w:Wacker Drive side view from the river. ... The Chicago River is 156 miles (251 km) long[1], and flows through downtown Chicago. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1984x1488, 1089 KB) This image has been (or is hereby) released into the public domain by its creator, Knowledge Seeker. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1984x1488, 1089 KB) This image has been (or is hereby) released into the public domain by its creator, Knowledge Seeker. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ...

• Harrison Street at Franklin Street (one-way northbound) - beginning of Wacker Drive, before it splits into two levels; traffic from Harrison Street to the upper level must use Franklin Street to Congress Parkway
• Congress Parkway - ramps connect to both levels and from the lower level; a one-way westbound ramp connects Franklin Street to Upper Wacker
• Van Buren Street (one-way westbound) - upper
• Jackson Boulevard (one-way eastbound) - upper
• Adams Street (one-way westbound) - upper
• Monroe Street (one-way eastbound) - upper
• Madison Street (one-way westbound) - upper
• Washington Street (one-way eastbound) - upper
• Randolph Street (one-way westbound) - upper
• Lake Street (one-way eastbound to east) - upper
• Franklin Street (one-way northbound) - upper
• Post Place (only goes south) - lower
• Wells Street (one-way southbound) - upper
• LaSalle Street - upper
• Clark Street (one-way southbound) - upper
• Garvey Court (only goes south) - lower
• Dearborn Street (one-way northbound) - upper
• State Street - upper
• Wacker Place (one-way eastbound) - splits from eastbound lower and upper levels
• Wabash Avenue - upper
• Michigan Avenue - double-decker
• Beaubien Court - (only goes south) - lower
• Stetson Avenue (only goes south) - triple-decker (service level begins here)
• Columbus Drive - triple-decker to the south, lower to the north
• Field Boulevard (not built yet) - upper and service (which end here)
• Lake Shore Drive - lower

Randolph Street is a street in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It runs east-west through the Chicago Loop, carrying westbound traffic west from Michigan Avenue across the Chicago River on the Randolph Street Bridge, interchanging with the Kennedy Expressway (I-90/I-94), and continuing west. ... Lake Street is a road in Chicagoland which is part of U.S. Route 20. ... LaSalle Street is a major north-south street in Chicago. ... Chicagos Clark Street is occasionally a diagonal, and occasionally a north-south street running near the shore of Lake Michigan from the city limits with Evanston (where it is called Chicago Avenue, and further north, Green Bay Road) south to Cermak Road. ... State Street is the name given to one of the major thoroughfares in Chicago, Illinois. ... The Michigan Avenue Bridge across the Chicago River. ... Looking west at the three-level Columbus Drive from Lakeshore East Looking southwest at the three-level Columbus Drive from Upper Wacker Drive Columbus Drive is a north-south street in Chicago, Illinois. ... Lake Shore Drive (LSD) is a mostly freeway-standard expressway running parallel with and next to Lake Michigan through Chicago, Illinois, USA. Except for the northernmost part, it is designated as part of U.S. Highway 41. ...

See also

• Multilevel streets in Chicago
• Philo Carpenter

Service level South Water Street; there are three levels here Downtown Chicago, Illinois, both north and south of the Chicago River, has some double-decked and even a few triple-decked streets. ... Philo Carpenter (1805-1886) was Chicago, Illinois first pharmacist. ...

Notes

External links

• Official City of Chicago Loop Community Map
• Wacker Drive Reconstruction Website (Internet Archive)

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