Grand Avenue (Chicago)

Infobox road
state=IL
highway_name=Grand Avenue
alternate_name=(530 North)
maint=Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation, various local agencies
length_mi=19
length_round=0
length_ref=Google Maps estimate.]
established=
direction_a=West
starting_terminus=
junction=
direction_b=East
ending_terminus=Navy Pier in Chicago
counties=DuPage, Cook
cities=Franklin Park, IL, Chicago

Grand Avenue is a major east-west arterial surface street in the city of Chicago and nearby DuPage County, although it deviates somewhat from Chicago's grid system, as it is diagonal west of Western Avenue. The street runs from the Kingery Highway (also known as U.S. Route 20 and Illinois Route 83) in Addison, east through the western suburbs, and then east-southeast into Chicago, through the Magnificent Mile shopping area, and continuing out to Navy Pier, where it ends. This is a distance of about 19 miles (31 km).

History

Grand Avenue was originally known as Whiskey Point Road, a muddy Indian Trail leading to the west side of Chicago, near Western Avenue.cite web |url=http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/natbltn/700-799/nb738.htm |author=Forest Preserve District of Cook County |date=1964-01-11 |accessdate=2007-04-06 |title=Early Cook County Roads: Part One] On the Near North Side it was called Indiana Street. Thomas Jefferson Vance Owen, Chicago's first town president, is believed to have named it in 1833 after naming Chicago "a grand place to live".cite web |url=http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=News&id=654963 |title=A walk down Grand Avenue |date=2003-10-14 |accessdate=2007-04-03 |author=Varon, Roz]

Transit

Grand Avenue is serviced by many major CTA lines. The Blue Line crosses Grand at Halsted Street and Milwaukee Avenue; this stop is the first one north of The Loop. The Red Line also crosses Grand at State Street, close to the Magnificent Mile. In 2007, the CTA vowed to remodel the station, one of the busiest in the city. The #65 CTA bus runs along Grand Avenue, from Nordica Avenue (7000 W) to Navy Pier. The #33 CTA bus runs along Grand Avenue during the morning rush hour.

References