Looking at Loop Trolley Details: DeBaliviere Alignment

With the recent announcement that the Loop Trolley will receive a $25M funding grant, the long-planned 2-mile streetcar line deserves a closer look. If all goes well, what you see below will be reality in the near future. In the West Loop, only one real option for the alignment was considered (and is possible). The streetcar will run in traffic lanes in both directions, meaning there will be both eastbound and westbound tracks. The East Loop and DeBaliviere Avenue saw two options developed, one running in traffic lanes and one on a single track in the median or on a dedicated path adjacent to traffic.

Some choices now appear to have been made. As the streetcar approaches the Delmar Metrolink stop from the west, two tracks will merge into one located in the median. This alignment will continue until DeBaliviere Avenue where the streetcar and a multi-use recreational path will occupy what are currently the northbound lanes, east of the median. The existing median will disappear. As noted on the Gateway Streets blog, DeBaliviere's future is "green and narrow". DeBaliviere will be reduced from four traffic lanes to two. (full DeBaliviere alignment below)