In the Illinois Center development, the main lanes of Columbus Drive are on the middle deck of a three-level structure. That level intersects with the middle levels of Randolph Street, Lake Street, South Water Street and Wacker Drive. All these intersecting streets also exist on the lower and upper levels, except for Lake, which is a pedestrian mall on the upper level; both of these levels go only from Randolph to Wacker. Level-transition ramps are connected directly to Columbus at the following points:
Southbound down-ramp and northbound up-ramp between the lower and middle levels, between Randolph and Lake; no access to Lake from the up-ramp, which merges just to the north of the middle level intersection
Westbound down-ramps and eastbound up-ramps in the middle of South Water between Columbus and Stetson Avenue, connecting lower and middle levels at Stetson (west end) to the middle and upper levels at Columbus (east end)
Westbound up-ramp from the service (lowest) level at Wacker to a point just west of Stetson, where it joins the middle level of Wacker (which then descends to become the lower deck of the subsequent two-level Wacker)
The middle level of Columbus Drive crosses the Chicago River via the Columbus Avenue Bridge, a bascule structure built in 1982, and known by many locals as the Chicago kissing bridge. North of the river, it intersects the upper level of North Water Street and passes over that road's lower level before descending to ground level just before reaching Illinois Street.[1]
History
Originally known as the Inner Drive, the road was renamed for Christopher Columbus and dedicated in a ceremony on August 3, 1933, as part of Italian day at the Century of Progress fair.[2][3]
Columbus originally only went south from Monroe Street, south of Illinois Center. In 1980, it was extended to Wacker, including the three-level portion, and it was built over the Chicago River in 1982, connecting to Fairbanks Court. In 1992 the upper level of North Water Street was built.
There is no bus route dedicated entirely to Columbus Drive/Fairbanks Court; however, a lot of bus routes run along this road in sections. South of Balbo Drive, Columbus Drive hosts the following bus routes that left or are approaching Lake Shore Drive: CTA bus route 2, 6, 10, J14, 26, and 28 and Pace bus route 850, 851, and 855. CTA bus route 124 runs along Columbus Drive from Randolph Drive to Illinois Street (Navy Pier-bound) or Grand Avenue (Union Station-bound). Bus routes 4, X4, 6, and 20 run along the upper deck of Columbus Drive. Bus route 2 briefly runs along Fairbanks Court from Illinois Street/Grand Avenue to Ohio Street/Ontario Street; routes 3, 26, 66, and 157 runs along the rest of Fairbanks Court going northbound. Route 3 ends at the intersection of Erie Street and Fairbank Court, while Route 26 ends at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Fairbank Court.[4]
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