Share

Did You Know?

Only 24 percent of jobs in the region are accessible by transit in 90 minutes or less by a typical resident — and that number drops to 12 percent in the suburbs.

A new, signature attraction along Chicago River

Nov 25, 2019 | by Steve Simmons

The Chicago River gained an awe-inspiring addition with the recent opening of the Riverview Bridge on the North Branch, now the longest pedestrian and bike bridge in the city.

The Riverview Bridge runs for roughly a thousand feet north and south of Addison Street and crosses over the river connecting Clark and California Parks, providing a safe off-street connection with breathtaking urban and natural views.

The bridge soars eighteen feet above the Chicago River and is sixteen-feet wide. It ducks under the Addison Bridge, offering people on bike and foot the ultimate low-stress route to bypass heavy traffic unimpeded.

It’s exciting the city has taken another major step towards a continuous Chicago River Trail. Adding a second major trail in Chicago to compliment the heavily-used Lakefront path would promote walking and biking and support healthy communities, cleaner environments, and a vibrant local economy.

Our favorite trails are often defined by landmarks, nature, and scenic beauty. We’re excited about the potential for Chicagoans and future generations to come to know the Riverview Bridge as a signature feature of the Chicago River Trail.

And, as exciting as the Riverview Bridge is by itself, it gets even better: the bridge is only the first phase of the 312 RiverRun, a two-mile riverfront trail between Belmont and Montrose. The 312 RiverRun, which will include an riverside underpass below Irving Park Road, is on track to be completed by the City of Chicago in the fall of 2020.

With the recent opening of the river trail at Lathrop Homes, the city has a prime opportunity to connect a one-mile gap that’ll eventually exist between the 312 RiverRun and Lathrop Homes path.

To keep this momentum going, Active Trans facilitated a neighborhood-led project to develop concepts for connecting the 312 RiverRun to Lathrop Homes path. Stay tuned for an upcoming report with ideas for making this trail connection.

If you’re coming from the north on bike, you can hop on the new bridge at California Park, which is located south of Irving Park on California Avenue.

And if you’re coming from the south, you can connect to the bridge’s southeast entrance via trail in Clark Park just north of the Jeanne Gang-designed WMS Boathouse on Rockwell Avenue.

If you’d like to see trails continue to grow and get connected along the Chicago River, we can’t do it without our members and supporters.

If you haven’t already, please join the campaign for a continuous Chicago River Trail and become an Active Trans member.