Chicago Pedway — Attraction in Chicago

One of the perks that comes with living in San Diego is that you can enjoy great weather almost every day of the year. Benefitting from this luxury creates a curiosity to experience the novelty of what others refer to as “cold weather”, so when I travel during the winter months I want to bundle up and then get outside! 🥶

I realize that living with freezing temperatures probably transitions from “novelty” to “torture” rather quickly, so I was curious about exploring a refuge for those less enthusiastic than myself about being out in the winter elements.

The Chicago Pedway System spans approximately 5 miles and connects 40 blocks as it weaves its way beneath the heart of the city. In what feels like an underground city, this maze of tunnels features multiple CTA (”L”) and commuter rail stations and also provides access to 50 public and private buildings. While there are shopping and food opportunities available, the pedway is more functional than a destination itself.

While the tunnels are well lit, clean, and safety never became a concern during my exploration, there are sections that can feel rather isolated (e.g., the parking garage segment), so the buddy system applies whenever possible.

The available routes are consistently marked by the pedway symbol (and several maps are posted), but you should be aware that the tunnels were not constructed in a contiguous fashion, so emerging from this subterranean sanctuary may be required at various intervals during your journey.

And that’s…Henry’s...

The Chicago Pedway initially seemed promising, offering an intriguing, undercover path through the city. However, the experience rapidly deteriorated. The area felt extremely unsafe, largely due to the presence of numerous individuals who appeared to be under the influence of drugs. This not only created a sense of discomfort but also raised serious safety concerns. Additionally, the overwhelming smell of urine and feces was pervasive and deeply unpleasant, severely detracting from the overall experience. It's disheartening to see such a potentially useful and unique city feature fall into such a state of neglect...

Mixed reviews from me for sure. On the one hand, I think it's fantastic in theory. It's a warm path in the winter, a dry one when it's raining. It's a quick place to go where you need to. There's restaurants, shopping, gyms, bars, and all sorts of stuff hidden away down there.

However, there are parts that are ickier than others. It pretty consistently smells like urine or worse, there's a lot of panhandlers, and it gets pretty dark and alone depending what time of day you're down there.

It's a cool place to have, and neat to explore, but be...