I am writing in response to the April 8 editorial about making DuSable Lake Shore Drive more special, not less, in light of a proposed study to overhaul DLSD .
As a Chicagoan, I understand the importance of maintaining and improving our city’s infrastructure, and these updates are a step in the right direction. However, I believe there is an opportunity to take this project even further and create a truly transformative space for our community.
SEND LETTERS TO: letters@suntimes.com. We want to hear from our readers. To be considered for publication, letters must include your full name, your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be a maximum of approximately 375 words.
While the proposed updates address some necessary improvements, such as resurfacing and bridge repairs, I believe that we should prioritize green space, leisure activity and pedestrian access over traffic throughput. By reducing the number of car lanes and lowering the speed limits, we can create more space for parkland and recreation areas while also improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Commuter traffic should be accommodated through inland thoroughfares like Ashland Avenue and highways like the Kennedy. This would allow DLSD to become a destination for locals and tourists alike, where people can walk, bike, picnic and play without worrying about speeding cars and noise pollution. Local traffic can be accommodated through dedicated bus lanes on the DLSD and CTA routes, including those along the path of the Red and Purple Modernization Program.
The purpose of DLSD should be local traffic and park access, not arterial commuting. By prioritizing green space and leisure activity, we can create a healthier, more sustainable, and more enjoyable city that would not only benefit residents, but also attract more visitors.
With the billions being spent on the parallel RPM modernization project, there is a unique opportunity to create a truly transformative space that reflects the values and aspirations of our community. By creating a more livable, sustainable, and enjoyable DLSD, we can enhance the quality of life for all Chicagoans.
I want to express my appreciation for the work that Illinois Department of Transportation and Chicago Department of Transportation have done with the proposed updates to DLSD. However, I urge them to consider creating a new, alternate proposal that prioritizes green space, leisure activity and pedestrian access over car traffic.
Adam Lang, Uptown
GOP’s duplicity
I’m surprised to learn that Republicans value decorum as highly as they profess.
The Republican-controlled Tennessee legislature cited a lack of decorum for expelling two Democrats who agitated for gun safety.
The party didn’t punish U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R.-Ga., after she interrupted President Joe Biden during the State of Union address in January, calling him a “liar.” They reacted with the same apathy in 2009, when U.S. Rep Joe Wilson, R.-S.C., shouted virtually the same invective at President Barack Obama, also during a State of the Union speech.
The federal legislature is a much more prominent stage than that of Tennessee. If decorum is paramount, one wonders why those two legislators have their posts.
God forbid the Republican Party should face accusations of hypocrisy, double standards and pretense.
Craig Barner, Lincoln Square
