Project Summary and Timeline

The purpose of the Midtown Corridor Alternatives Analysis (AA) is to determine the benefits, costs and impacts of creating a transitway in the Midtown Greenway or on Lake Street. The Midtown Corridor has been studied for several decades and while those past studies will help inform the AA, this project is an opportunity to start with a clean slate and provide an unbiased analysis that will help balance the various transportation needs in the corridor. Learn more about the alternatives analysis process.

A strong purpose and need statement is essential in identifying and understanding the corridor's problems and how a transit investment will help address them. A key question to be answered is what the role of the corridor is. Is it to serve as a regional connector, a local urban circulator, or perhaps both? 

The Midtown Corridor is bounded by the Blue Line (Hiawatha) light rail on the east and the planned Green Line (Southwest) light rail extension on the west. Future Orange Line (I-35W) bus rapid transit will intersect the corridor and provide a north-south connection. As a potential urban circulator, transit service will link to the corridot's many destinations, including the Uptown Commercial District, the Uptown and Chicago-Lake transit centers and Midtown Global Market.

Click here for a printable project summary.