Chicago has had plans in the works for some time to build multiple pedestrian-friendly crossings on the South Side along Lake Shore Drive. One of those projects, a pedestrian bridge at 41st Street, is finally moving forward.

The 41st Street bridge will cross over not only Lake Shore Drive but also multiple railroad tracks to give residents of the Oakland and Bronzeville neighborhoods an easier way to connect on foot.

This bridge joins a suspension bridge at 35th Street and another bridge along 43rd Street in helping to connect the neighborhoods and make life easier for pedestrians.

The project has been delayed as Chicago and Illinois agencies have gone back and forth since 2004 over where the funding would come from, while estimated costs continued to grow. The original estimates were 33 percent lower than the current expected cost of $34 million for the entire project. While a large portion of the funding is coming from federal and state grants, the city continues to look for “alternative sources” of funding to fill the gap.