Wacker Drive
Upper Wacker Drive, looking west from Michigan Avenue | |
Wacker Drive highlighted in red | |
| Former name(s) | Market Street Water Street River Street |
|---|---|
| Length | 2.2 mi (3.5 km) |
| South end | Upper Wacker: Franklin Street/Harrison Street intersection (360 west at 424 south) Lower Wacker: Ida B. Wells Drive near Wells Street (220 west at 400 south) |
| East end | US 41 (Lake Shore Drive) (340 north at 400 east) |
| Construction | |
| Inauguration | 1926 |
Wacker Drive is a multilevel street in Chicago, Illinois, running along the south bank of the main branch and the east bank of the south branch of the Chicago River through the Chicago Loop. Much of the roadway is double-decked: the upper level carries regular vehicular traffic, while Lower Wacker Drive accommodates service vehicles, including delivery trucks, waste collection, and utility access.
Because the street follows the curved course of the Chicago River, Lower Wacker Drive is the only roadway in the city that carries both north–south and east–west address designations. In certain sections there is a third level, sometimes referred to as Lower Lower Wacker Drive or Sub-Lower Wacker Drive. This level is primarily used for vehicle towing and impound operations, utility infrastructure, and railroad maintaince access.
Wacker Drive is named for early 20th-century Chicago businessman and city planner Charles H. Wacker.