The Pedway

Useful Information

Location:	Chicago, IL 60606. (41.883848, -87.627879)
Open:	no restrictions. [2026]
Fee:	free. [2026]
Classification:	Underground City
Light:	Electric Light
Dimension:	L=8 km.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	yes
Bibliography:
Address:	The Pedway E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1943	connection tunnels between Red and Blue Line built.
1951	begin of development.
1968	extension with Transit Planning Study: Chicago Central Area.
1973	extension with Chicago 21 Plan.

Description

Today The Pedway, also known as Chicago Pedway or Downtown Pedestrian Walkway System, is a system of tunnels connecting 40 blocks in the Central Business District. It has a total length of more than 8 km, connects more than 50 buildings, and each day it is used by thousands of pedestrians. It is safe, quick, and convenient, especially during times of unpleasant weather, and it seems Chicago has a lot of that, like hot and humid summers and massive snow and freezing cold in winter. The main structure is located between North Lasalle Street and Maggie Daley Park and connects shops, subway, tram and parking lots. There are numerous smaller underground structures which are not connected to the main Pedway, for example at Ogilvie Transportation Center, at Merchandise Mart, Exelon Plaza, and the Dirksen Federal Building. As there is no specific entrance or location, the tunnels cover much of downton with multiple entrances, we have actually no location. The main location is somewhat random, just in the middle, and the same as the Google Maps pin. Much better and more detailed is the osm link below to the map entry on OpenStreetMap, which is pretty detailed and informative.

Chicago’s Pedway is more of a tunnel system than an underground city or mall, though there are different stores, cafés and other infrastructure. But many sections are quite spartan and really serve only as connecting tunnels. And that’s how it actually started, the corridors between State and Dearborn Streets are linking Chicago Transit Authority’s Red Line and Blue Line stations. These tunnels were constructed together with the subway at the beginning of World War II. The rationing due to the war interrupted the completion and outfitting of the Blue Line under Dearborn Street. But the connection tunnels were already completed and were opened. The main Pedway development started in 1951, but it actually never ended. Extensions were part of the 1968 Transit Planning Study: Chicago Central Area and the 1973 Chicago 21 Plan.