Reimagining an Abandoned Railway as Community Space
Partner
Chicago Department of Transportation
Services
THE ASK
How do you transform a 4-mile stretch of abandoned railroad into a useful community space? That was the challenge the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) faced with the Former BNSF Railroad Improvements Project. To ensure the work reflects community needs and voices, CDOT brought us on board to conduct public outreach.
WHAT WE DID
Throughout 2023 and 2024, we hosted a series of public meetings, piloted a community partner program with local organizations and led a hands-on visioning session for residents. We also developed a website to share updates and community feedback. Together with our partner Data Vandals, we translated the feedback into an artistic visualization to spark additional engagement at pop-up events. To date, we’ve collected over 1,000 inputs from community members.
