Chicago was recently proclaimed as the greenest city in the US and the city is now celebrating that honor bestowed upon it by adding an amazing green jewel to its eco-friendly crown. While many have expressed their concern about the method of rating cities, all aspersions aside, Chicago is all set to go greener and that can only mean that it continues to lead in the green race. We have seen how Philly is doing its best to get green and so it seems many cities across the country are on a green drive.
The proposed Chicago ‘Eco-Bridge’ completes the last major recommendation of the 1909 Burnham Plan of Chicago in a thoroughly modern way that celebrates Chicago’s future as well as its past. The 2-mile bridge, a breakwater in the Monroe harbor, celebrates Chicago’s position as the ‘Greenest City’ in the US. The bridge creates a grand new civic space for the city, providing recreational opportunities and offering unparalleled views of the skyline from a central observation tower. The incorporation of wind turbines in the project adds economic value through the production of energy and prominently showcases Chicago’s dedication to sustainability.
The project was also intended to enhance Chicago’s bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games. The observation tower is a prominent and central place to house the Olympic flame. The breakwater provides ample space for rowing and sailing events in calm water and could offer terrific viewer access for these events. The ecological and educational advantages of the project are plentiful. The bridge showcases the ecology of the Great Lakes and provides a haven for fish and water plants. So Chicago not only gets itself a brand new tourist attraction, but also helps the withering environment across the planet.
The new ‘eco bridge’ will do just fine for a city that has already draped itself with the green honor. It will also surely do the city endless good in its bid to host the 2016 Olympics. The view that this bridge will provide will be worth traveling many miles up to the city. Both in economic and environmental perspective, the bridge is worth its weight in gold. Well, may not be in gold, but still something very valuable. Apart from all that, it is sure to be a photographer’s delight; a possibility that excites me endlessly.
