Neighbors Alarmed After Light Pole Falls Across Southbound Lake Shore Drive In Gold Coast
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Winds gusting up to 60 miles per hour blasted through Chicago on Wednesday – one of the busiest travel days of the year.
As CBS 2's Tara Molina reported, a light pole buckled over and fell right into the middle of traffic Lake Shore Drive as the winds buffeted the city.
The pole fell onto the southbound Outer Drive near Goethe Street in the Gold Coast. Its place was marked with an orange cone Wednesday night.
Thankfully, no one was hurt. But people who in the area are worried about the rest of the lamp posts.
"I was shocked," said one woman named Barbara.
So were many others when they saw the rusted-out, mangled light pole sprawling across Lake Shore Drive. Three lanes of the southbound Outer Drive had to be closed Wednesday afternoon, while only one southbound lane was kept open.
Police had block traffic with a pair of squad cars.
On a regular day, the Chicago Transit Authority transports about 69,000 people on North Lake Shore Drive alone, and more than 160,000 cars travel the stretch.
But on one of the busiest travel days of the year? Barbara called it miraculous no one was hurt.
"We have to be careful – everyone, everywhere," she said.
"It is really scary," added Rose Lavina.
Lavina told us the other poles will be on her mind now when she's out walking her pup, Gordo.
"I hope they look into it," Lavina said.
On Thursday of last week, a light pole came crashing down right outside the Thompson Center in the Loop, and hit a woman who was walking down LaSalle Street.
Just over a week before that, a city traffic light pole snapped and fell onto a sport-utility vehicle on Stony Island Avenue at 73rd Street. The front of Hector Martinez's car was destroyed.
Our CBS 2 Investigators have uncovered hundreds of dangerous light poles, injuries, and crumbling city infrastructure dating back to 2015.
On Wednesday night, Lavina said, "I hope that they, like, anchor them down better!"
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The Chicago Department of Transportation did not say if the other poles in this area were being checked out after the Lake Shore Drive incident. CDOT only said the high winds appear to be to blame.
We will follow up with them.
