Taste of the Riverwalk Opens Walk Extension

By Tim State in News on Jun 20, 2009 5:45PM

The first annual Taste of the Riverwalk kicks off today, along with the opening of a new section of the riverwalk, running along the south bank of the river between Wabash and Michigan Avenue. It’s now possible to walk along the river from Wabash all along the lake without having to go up and down stairs.

The festival runs today and tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., features two-for-one bike rentals and free Chicago Water Taxi Service for anyone presenting a receipt from a riverwalk vendor.

The walkway was built 17-20 feet out into the river to create a new shoreline. Crews installed sheet piling down to the river floor, drained the water from the newly created channel, and filled the area in with stone and concrete.

The project was to cost $17.5 million for both the Wabash and Michigan Avenue projects, but the actual cost is expected to be 6 to 8 percent higher as work had to be done through a much harsher winter than what was expected. Officials said it was also tricky installing the sheet piling into the river while being sensitive to the underground freight tunnels that flooded when damage was done in 1992. [S-T]