Chicago Riverwalk

The CDOT Chicago Riverwalk includes six (6) distinct rooms – one (1) for each block of the project – connecting the Lakefront to the heart of Downtown Chicago, creating a destination which will uniquely blend cultural, recreational and commercial amenities alongside the Chicago River. It includes engineering planning and design services for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible Riverwalk, an assessment of the navigational traffic on the Main Branch of the Chicago River and an evaluation of the impact of the build out on the waterway system.

The project scope includes the design of the under bridge connections, with a twenty (20) foot build out into the river at each bridge and twenty-five feet between bridges. The spaces between bridges will be designed for a cohesive combination of cultural, recreational and commercial uses. Development of the area includes naturalistic landscaping utilizing native vegetation and water features that provide a sense of connection with the river.

As a sub-consultant to Sasaki Associates, Infrastructure Engineering, Inc. (IEI) provided civil site engineering services for each of the designed rooms for this world class facility. IEI’s group of talented engineers was able to overcome the many challenges that come with designing civil site and utility services in tight structural areas; while still accommodating the grading for ADA accessibility, city and regional drainage and outfall requirements, and providing space for architectural elements of the project. The challenges of working between Lower Wacker Drive and the Chicago River required significant construction coordination between the design team, construction manager and contractor in order to provide fast turn-around time for unforeseen conditions and avoid project delays.

Highlights

• Significant coordination with permitting agencies for 20′ build out in to the Chicago River.
• Significant utility relocation and service extensions.
  • Coordination of specialty fixtures.
  • Proximity to riverwall and Lower Wacker Drive made placement of structures difficult and resulted in specialty cast in place structures.
• Difficult and detailed ADA and grading required for each special room.