Flooding Provides a Scare for Chicago's Two New Public Spaces

The damage could have been a lot worse, but surely flooding that temporarily closed down the Chicago Riverwalk and The 606 elevated bikeway will require additional evaluation by project planners and engineers.

1 minute read

June 16, 2015, 2:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Flooded Chicago River

edward stojakovic / Flickr

"Chicago residents weren't the only ones struggling to stay dry during yesterday's wild flash flood, as the city's two latest and greatest public park spaces were also pounded by the rain," according to a post by AJ LaTrace. The newly opened sections of the Chicago Riverwalk and The 606 both flooded in a particularly violent and sudden storm in the city of Chicago yesterday.

Blair Kamin and Jasper Craven provided a dispatch from the Riverwalk the day after the storm, reporting on the state of the new public spaces and the ongoing closure so city workers could clean up the mess. Local businesses such as City Winery escaped any damage but residents on hand today expressed both confidence and concern over the possibility of future flooding events.

David Matthews reports for DNAinfo that most of the Riverwalk had been re-opened by noon on Tuesday.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015 in Curbed Chicago

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