Skip to main content

US Route 41 on Lake Shore Drive (Interstate 55 north to the Link Bridge)

By
This past month I drove a segment of US Route 41 on Lake Shore Drive in downtown Chicago between Interstate 55 north to the Link Bridge on the Chicago River.


Lake Shore Drive as the name implies is a north/south expressway in Chicago which runs along the western shore of Lake Michigan.  Lake Shore Drive carries US 41 through much of Chicago from a southern terminus at Ewing Avenue/I-90 (Chicago Skyway) through downtown north to Foster Avenue.  Lake Shore Drive is part of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour and is considered one of the most scenic downtown surface highways in the United States.

The origins of Lake Shore Drive date back to 1882 when a property owner north of downtown convinced the city to build a small segment of lake side roadway behind his property located at modern day 1350 N. Lake Shore Drive.  Between 57th Street north to the Chicago River the present route of Lake Shore Drive through downtown was designated as Leif Ericson Drive by 1927.  The route of what became Lake Shore Drive was completed when the Link Bridge over the Chicago River opened in 1937.  Upon the opening of the Link Bridge the route of US 41 was shifted east off Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago to the future Lake Shore Drive.  Lake Shore Drive was formally dedicated with it's present name in 1946.

Interestingly the shift of US 41 onto Lake Shore Drive extended the east terminus of US Route 66.  US 66 previously ended on Jackson Boulevard at US 41 on Michigan Avenue.  In 1937 US 66 was extended east on Jackson Drive to meet US 41 on the present route of Lake Shore Drive.  This 1956 Illinois Highway Map shows US 34/54/66 all multiplexing to a mutual terminus at US 41 on Lake Shore Drive.

1956 Illinois Highway Map

My approach to US 41 on Lake Shore Drive was from the north terminus of I-55 south of downtown Chicago.



I-55 merges onto US 41 north on Lake Shore Drive at McCormick Place.


US 41 shields on Lake Shore Drive are frequently co-signed with Lake Michigan Circle Tour shields.


US 41/Lake Shore Drive continues northward into downtown passing by Soldier Field at Waldron Drive.




North of Solider Field traffic heading towards I-290 is directed to turn on Columbus Drive.


Signage on northbound US 41/Lake Shore Drive directs traffic via Baldo Drive to reach I-90/I-94/I-290.







US 41/Lake Shore drive northbound meets the former east terminus of US 66 at Jackson Drive.



As US 41/Lake Shore Drive approaches the Chicago River signage directs I-290 traffic to Randolph Street.



US 41/Lake Shore Drive northbound crosses the Chicago River on the Link Bridge.  I turned off Lake Shore Drive onto Illinois Street to reach Navy Pier.





The Link Bridge is officially known as the Outer Drive Bridge.  The Link Bridge is a double deck bascule span which was the widest of it's kind in the world upon completion in 1937.  Interestingly the lower deck of the Link Bridge was intended to be a rail span.



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Grand Loop Road of Yellowstone National Park

By
  Grand Loop Road is a 140 mile loop highway which traverses the interior of Yellowstone National Park.  Grand Loop Road connects all of the major attractions and geological features of Yellowstone National Park along with the entrance roads.  Grand Loop Road is a seasonal highway and despite some conjecture never has been part of the US Route System.   Part 1; the history of Grand Loop Road The majority of history pertaining to Grand Loop Road was taken from the below National Park Service article: Historic Roads - Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) Yellowstone was declared the first National Park of the United States on March 1st, 1872.  The first real highway to access Yellowstone National Park came in 1873 when a tolled facility was constructed from Bozeman, Montana via Yankee Jim Canyon to Mammoth Hot Springs.  Numerous attempts were made to fund construction of roadway infrastructure during the early years of Yellows...
Post a Comment
Read more

The last 1956-63 era California Sign State Route Spade?

By
Along southbound California State Route 170 (the Hollywood Freeway Extension) approaching the Hollywood Freeway/Ventura Freeway interchange a white California State Route 134 Sign State Route Spade can be observed on guide sign.  These white spades were specifically used during the 1956-63 era and have become increasingly rare.  This blog is intended to serve as a brief history of the Sign State Route Spade.  We also ask you as the reader, is this last 1956-63 era Sign State Route Spade or do you know of others?  Part 1; the history of the California Sign State Route Spade Prior to the Sign State Route System, the US Route System and the Auto Trails were the only highways in California signed with reassurance markers.  The creation of the US Route System by the American Association of State Highway Officials during November 1926 brought a system of standardized reassurance shields to major highways in California.  Early efforts to create a Sign State Route ...
Post a Comment
Read more

California State Route 70; the Feather River Highway

By
From 2017 through to early 2019 I drove the majority of the California State Route 70; the Feather River Highway from CA 89 southwest to CA 99. CA 70 is an approximately 178.5 mile state highway which starts at US 395 near the Nevada State Line and travels west through the Feather River Canyon to CA 99.  CA 70 is often referred to as the Feather River Highway" given it's close association with the river.  Historically CA 70 was previously signed as US 40A and CA 24.  The Legislative Routes prior to the 1964 California Highway Renumbering that made up the current route of CA 70 are as follows: -  Legislative Route Number 21 from US 395 westward to Oroville. -  LRN 87 from Oroville south to Marysville. -  LRN 232 from Marysville to the current junction with CA 99.  CA 70 was even dual signed with CA 99 into Sacramento on what was LRN 232 for a time. The change from US 40A/LRN 21/LRN 87/LRN 232 can be seen by comparing the 1963 State Highway Ma...
Post a Comment
Read more