April 5, 2009

Plans for the proposed 2016 Olympic Village and lakefront sports venues would force cyclists, runners and walkers to divert from long stretches of the paths east of Lake Shore Drive during virtually all of July and August 2016.

Questions about the diversions were raised by a video of village plans shown to the media Saturday afternoon after the city's bid committee presented them to the visiting evaluation commission from the International Olympic Committee.

Chicago 2016 bid officials conceded that closings—which they called "redirection"—for security reasons would dramatically alter recreational use during the weeks encompassing not only the Olympics (July 22-Aug. 7) and the Paralympics (Aug. 17-29), but a "lockdown" period beforehand.

The city also would restrict vehicle use on Lake Shore Drive south of downtown, and it was unclear whether automobiles would be able to travel the length of one of the city's major roads.

The village plan includes a bridge at 29th Street from the residences west of Lake Shore to a restricted recreational area for athletes east of Lake Shore, so it may be difficult to persuade security officials to allow either non-accredited people on foot or bicycles or non-accredited vehicles to pass under the bridge. Arnot said those issues were under discussion with security agencies working under the title of "Chicago Olympic Security Command."

He said there was no discussion with the IOC evaluation commission about the impact the Olympic plans would have on recreational users of the area. One bicyclist group is not amused.

"It would be a shame for the city to invest in [improvements along the lakefront bike paths] and then break that connection when the whole world's watching," said Margo O'Hara, spokeswoman for the Active Transportation Alliance.

Chicago 2016 officials say the post-Olympic legacy of the plan—providing access from west of the drive to what Arnot called an underutilized area of the lakefront—would outweigh the temporary dislocations for recreational users of the area.

Lakefront paths would likely be closed from as far north as Monroe Harbor, site of the rowing venue, to 31st Street, the south end of the Olympic Village site.

Arnot said the closings would begin two to three weeks before the Opening Ceremony in the areas around the Olympic Village and one to two weeks ahead in areas near other sports venues along Lake Shore Drive, including Soldier Field and McCormick Place.

The video Chicago 2016 unveiled Saturday showed an Olympic Village that would include private "sky terraces" and dramatic lake views from some of the 2,500 units in approximately 21 buildings.

The developments came as groups from Bronzeville and Kenwood protested Saturday that the Olympics could drive them out of their homes.