Arts & Entertainment
Back in Time: Lincoln Square Construction Project Excavates Remnant of Chicago’s Not-so-Distant Streetcar Past
Exposed streetcar rails are a blast from Chicago's transit past. Seen in the 4600 block of North Lincoln Avenue in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News)
A major construction project in Lincoln Square might be causing headaches for the quaint North Side neighborhood’s residents and business owners, but it’s been a boon to Chicago history buffs.
That’s because when crews tore up a stretch of Lincoln Avenue, they unearthed a remnant of an old streetcar line, which had been buried under asphalt for decades.
These newly exposed tracks and rail ties were part of what was once one of the world’s largest streetcar systems. For reference, picture San Francisco’s cable cars or the trams that run in many European cities.
A group of private companies operated the streetcar routes, which covered hundreds of miles as they criss-crossed the city (and even into the suburbs), carrying riders to work, school, shops and everywhere in between.
All for as little as a nickel fare.
So what happened to the streetcars?
Well, because this is Chicago, politics and corruption definitely played a role in the system’s demise. But so did financial woes.
Things got so bad, the state of Illinois stepped in and created the Chicago Transit Authority in 1947 to take over management of the troubled streetcar system, along with the city’s “L” lines.
CTA leadership gradually replaced streetcars with motorized buses, and by 1958, the city’s last streetcar made its final run.
A closeup shows not only the streetcar tracks but the wooden rail ties. Some of the old streetcar rails were ripped out but most, like these in Lincoln Square, were simply paved over. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News)
Some of the streetcar rails were ripped out but a lot of them were simply paved over and occasionally get excavated during street repairs.
The recent discovery in Lincoln Square has sparked calls online to “bring back the streetcars.”
While that scenario seems unlikely, transportation planners in Chicago have been exploring alternatives to existing bus service, including what they call “bus rapid transit” routes, where buses would cruise down a dedicated center lane with “rail-like” speed.
So, kind of like a streetcar.
Read more: Ask Geoffrey: A Look Back at Chicago’s Streetcar Era
Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | [email protected]
