Ordinances passed by the City of Chicago, requiring the railroads to elevate their trackage. Ordinances are listed chronologically at the Chicago Track Elevation page, which contains a more comprehensive background on track elevation in Chicago.
Ordinances are listed sequentially along the line, along with further commentary.
Fulton St. to 12th St.
January 18, 1897
Ordinance for elevation of Chicago Terminal & Transfer Railroad Altenheim Line from 12th St. (Roosevelt Rd.) to Washtenaw Ave., and elevation of paralleling Chicago & North Western Rockwell Line and Pittsburgh Cincinnati Chicago & St. Louis from Fulton St. to 12th St. (Roosevelt Rd.). Ordinance also for raising of Lake Street Elevated Railroad and Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railway bridges at Rockwell St. over these railroads. Deadline for completion December 31, 1898.
12th St. to Marshall Blvd.
September 3, 1907
Ordinance for elevation of paralleling Burlington Route and Chicago & North Western South Branch and Chicago Terminal & Transfer Railroad from Robey St. (Damen Ave.) to Washtenaw Ave. on Burlington Route, and to 12th St. (Roosevelt Rd.) on other two railroads, and elevation of paralleling Chicago Terminal & Transfer Railroad and Pittsburgh Cincinnati Chicago & St. Louis and Chicago Junction Railway from 12th St. (Roosevelt Rd.) to Marshall Blvd. (31st Blvd.) Ordinance also for raising of Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railway bridge at Campbell Ave. over several of these railroads. Deadline for completion December 31, 1910. Ordinance amended December 19, 1910, extending deadline for completion to December 31, 1911.
34th St. to Western Blvd.
May 22, 1899
Ordinance for elevation of paralleling Illinois Central (Chicago Madison & Northern) and Santa Fe from 22nd St. (Cermak Rd.) to Ash Street, and elevation of paralleling Chicago Terminal & Transfer Railroad and Pittsburgh Cincinnati Chicago & St. Louis and Chicago Junction Railway from 34th St. to Western Blvd. (near Pershing Rd.) Deadline for completion December 31, 1902. Ordinance amended June 26, 1899, extending deadline for completion to December 31, 1903. Ordinance amended December 21, 1903, extending deadline for completion to December 31, 1904.
Western Blvd. to 51st St.
June 18, 1902
Ordinance for elevation of paralleling Chicago Terminal & Transfer Railroad and Pittsburgh Cincinnati Chicago & St. Louis and Chicago Junction Railway from Western Blvd. (near Pershing Rd.) to 51st St. Deadline for completion December 31, 1906. Later replaced with new ordinance dated April 22, 1912 (see below).
Western Blvd. to 69th St.
Leavitt Ave. to Halsted St. (EC)
April 22, 1912
Ordinance for elevation of paralleling Baltimore & Ohio (former Chicago Terminal & Transfer Railroad) and Pittsburgh Cincinnati Chicago & St. Louis from Western Blvd. (near Pershing Rd.) to 69th St., for elevation of Chicago River & Indiana Railroad (Chicago Junction Railway) from 43rd St. to Indiana Harbor Belt connection, and elevation of Pittsburgh Cincinnati Chicago & St. Louis Englewood Connecting Line from Leavitt Ave. to Halsted St. Deadline for completion December 31, 1918.
Halsted St. to Stewart Ave. (EC)
June 18, 1900
Ordinance for elevation of Pittsburgh Fort Wayne & Chicago from 22nd St. to Garfield Blvd., and elevation of Pittsburgh Cincinnati Chicago & St. Louis Englewood Connecting Line from Halsted St. to Stewart Ave. Deadline for completion December 31, 1906. Ordinance amended March 16, 1903, providing for raising of Pittsburgh Fort Wayne & Chicago tracks over Chicago Junction Railway at 40th St. Ordinance amended November 12, 1906, extending deadline for completion to December 31, 1907.
69th St. to 87th St.
July 11, 1928
Ordinance for elevation of Wabash from Wood St. to Western Ave., for elevation of Belt Railway of Chicago from Western Ave. to Wood St., and elevation of paralleling Baltimore & Ohio and Pittsburgh Cincinnati Chicago & St. Louis from 69th St. to 87th St. Various deadlines for completion of certain segments, deadline for final completion December 31, 1935.
Trackage was never elevated at 71st St. or 87th St.