Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Monday joined Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld to cut the ribbon on the completed Western Ave. Corridor Improvement Project. Key to the redevelopment project was the removal of the nearly 60 year old Riverview viaduct; that made way for the roadway improvements to enhance traffic flow and pedestrian safety along the 1.27 mile stretch of Western Ave. between Logan Blvd. to Waveland Ave in Chicago’s Roscoe Village neighborhood. Working together with input from local Aldermen and community residents, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) made the decision to remove the viaduct and replace it with a new five-leg at-grade intersection at Western, Belmont, and Clybourn. The intersection now has three lanes of traffic in each direction during rush hours, with curbside parking in some areas of the corridor during off-peak hours. The project also includes synchronized traffic signals to speed bus and vehicle traffic. The traffic signals are programmed for the new configuration and have the capacity to provide Transit Signal Priority for CTA buses, speeding up bus service. Pedestrian safety improvements include refuge islands, bump outs, high-visibility crosswalks, wider sidewalks, and the addition of pedestrian countdown signals at all signalized intersections. ADA ramps were also installed at all corners along the project corridor. In addition, the project provides new lighting to improve public safety and landscaped medians along much of the corridor.