Planning for a Safer Circle Interchange
Chicago's Circle Interchange is a well-known transportation landmark located near downtown at the junction between the Dan Ryan, Eisenhower and Kennedy expressways. The name refers to the curving ramps that appear to form concentric rings when viewed from above.
Stanley Consultants was retained by the Illinois Department of Transportation to prepare a master plan study for safety related and aesthetic improvements on the aging interchange. The master plan was developed based on a CSS (Context Sensitive Solutions) process that included coordination with local stakeholder groups, including the City of Chicago, to identify concepts for future improvements. Proposed concepts included decorative barrier walls, architectural walls, and sustainable concepts such as rain gardens and rain barrels, low maintenance surface treatments, and community identifiers.