Questions and Answers (Q&A) Forgotten Chicago Forum
Have a question about a specific element in Chicago's history? Ask Away!
Lake Shore Drive
Posted by:
budd
()
Date: August 30, 2010 12:15AM
What was the reason that LSD had it's famous "S" curve?
Re: Lake Shore Drive
Posted by:
daveg
()
Date: August 30, 2010 03:51PM
Not sure what the answer to your question is, but there was more industry along the Chicago River and perhaps LSD, when built, had to "go around" rather than through that area.
Here's a great article on LSD written by Serhii Chrucky. Serhii is one of the FC staff members.
http://forgottenchicago.com/features/chicago-infrastructure/lake-shore-drive-redux/
Here's a great article on LSD written by Serhii Chrucky. Serhii is one of the FC staff members.
http://forgottenchicago.com/features/chicago-infrastructure/lake-shore-drive-redux/
Re: Lake Shore Drive
Posted by:
tomcat630
()
Date: September 01, 2010 11:42PM
The old 'S curve' was built for Model T size cars. By the 50's was grossly outmoded. It was awful, had to slow down to near 1 mph to turn and not hit the next car over.
Re: Lake Shore Drive
Posted by:
davey7
()
Date: September 16, 2010 05:29PM
I always thought it was because the S curve was actually on raised streets which were never fully built out with the planned buildings over the railyards. A post about the planned art deco predecessor to Illinois Center would shed some light on this I think.
Re: Lake Shore Drive
Posted by:
bwalsh
()
Date: September 17, 2010 02:39AM
According to an article in the Chicago Tribune on Nov 3, 1959. pg 1
"These sharp turns gave the Illinois Central Railroad additional street frontage for development of air rights building sites."
This article was about some repair work being done on the link bridge between the Outer Drive and Lake Shore Drive.
An interesting sidenote - when the bridge was first dedicated in 1937, the drivers driving across it that afternoon were each given a souvenir windshield sticker for their car. I'd love to see what they looked like and if any survived through the years.
That was definitely a challenge to drive that "S" curve. But it was amusing to watch people come across it (out-of-towners for instance) for the first time. I know - sick sense of humor!
"These sharp turns gave the Illinois Central Railroad additional street frontage for development of air rights building sites."
This article was about some repair work being done on the link bridge between the Outer Drive and Lake Shore Drive.
An interesting sidenote - when the bridge was first dedicated in 1937, the drivers driving across it that afternoon were each given a souvenir windshield sticker for their car. I'd love to see what they looked like and if any survived through the years.
That was definitely a challenge to drive that "S" curve. But it was amusing to watch people come across it (out-of-towners for instance) for the first time. I know - sick sense of humor!
Re: Lake Shore Drive
Posted by:
davey7
()
Date: September 17, 2010 05:14PM
I have a friend who lived in LPT (Lake Point Tower) when the S curve was still in existence. She said that they could hear cars crashing, but only in certain conditions, such as wind, location, angle, etc. They once heard a Corvette crack. But other times they'd never hear a thing.
Here's a good picture of it.
Here's a good picture of it.
Re: Lake Shore Drive
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
()
Date: September 18, 2010 12:18PM
[b]A good picture. I drove it mny times.[/b]
Re: Lake Shore Drive
Posted by:
daveg
()
Date: September 18, 2010 05:43PM
Nice photo davey7. Like Richard I recall driving the S curve many times.
Saw the signs. The one strategically placed on the north side of the river looks like Curtiss candies. The one on the right edge of the photo Motorola? Not sure.
Saw the signs. The one strategically placed on the north side of the river looks like Curtiss candies. The one on the right edge of the photo Motorola? Not sure.
Re: Lake Shore Drive
Posted by:
captain54
()
Date: September 18, 2010 06:15PM
During a winter storm, I saw a car go full speed, head on into the brick retaining wall after he failed to negotiate the curve....brutal
Re: Lake Shore Drive
Posted by:
Chipast
()
Date: September 28, 2010 12:35PM
davey7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have a friend who lived in LPT (Lake Point
> Tower) when the S curve was still in existence.
> She said that they could hear cars crashing, but
> only in certain conditions, such as wind,
> location, angle, etc. They once heard a Corvette
> crack. But other times they'd never hear a thing.
>
>
> Here's a good picture of it.
>
> http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3010/2950916664_a33
> c38ae54_o.jpg
The huge Motorola clock sign was removed most likely, When that apartment building was built at Randolph nr Lake Shore Dr around 1963. But in my early childhood years after.......I remember the large Hertz Rent-A-Car sign at the NW corner of the "S" curve, The Kraft Foods neon sign/billboard just to name a few.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have a friend who lived in LPT (Lake Point
> Tower) when the S curve was still in existence.
> She said that they could hear cars crashing, but
> only in certain conditions, such as wind,
> location, angle, etc. They once heard a Corvette
> crack. But other times they'd never hear a thing.
>
>
> Here's a good picture of it.
>
> http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3010/2950916664_a33
> c38ae54_o.jpg
The huge Motorola clock sign was removed most likely, When that apartment building was built at Randolph nr Lake Shore Dr around 1963. But in my early childhood years after.......I remember the large Hertz Rent-A-Car sign at the NW corner of the "S" curve, The Kraft Foods neon sign/billboard just to name a few.
Re: Lake Shore Drive
Posted by:
Brule Laker
()
Date: May 08, 2011 01:12AM
The north and south Lake Shore Drives needed to be connected in the '20s (they were built separately). Because of the many buildings in the area, condemnation proceedings would have taken years, and the project was urgent; thus it was built along a route that could be completed ASAP.
