When the Orange Line was built in 1993, the planners left an opening in the ‘L’ structure to accommodate a future extension of 51^st Street. Twenty years later, that opening is still there, still awaiting the extension of 51^st Street.

If you’re familiar with the South Side, you know that 51^st Street is a major half-section street. It carries significant traffic from the lake (where it’s called Hyde Park Boulevard) straight through to Kedzie. West of Kedzie, 51^st gradually trickles into a minor side-street until it stops at Harding, just short of the Orange Line viaduct and Pulaski Road.

A 1902 city map shows 51^st continuing to an intersection with Crawford (Pulaski). But shortly afterward the Belt Railway constructed a spur track through the area, cutting off 51^st a block short of Crawford. Since this was a remote part of the city, closing the street didn’t matter very much.

By the 1930s the West Elsdon neighborhood was growing up. A streetcar ran on 51^st as far west as Lawndale. Plans were being made to elevate the Belt Railway. Then 51^st and its car line could be extended, perhaps all the way to Cicero Avenue.

More years pass. The 51^st Street streetcar gives way to the trolley bus, and eventually the diesel bus. More houses are built, but a Belt Railway viaduct isn’t. The barrier is still there, and 51^st remains a local street.

Curie High School opens. There’s again talk about elevating the Belt Railway tracks and extending 51^st, so the bus line can serve the new school. Nothing happens.

The Orange Line is built. The planners leave that gap in the ‘L’ structure. Now the railroad tracks will surely be elevated, and the bus run through to the Pulaski-51^st station. Nothing happens—and the bus line is cut back to serve the Kedzie-49^th station.

Will 51^st Street ever be extended to Pulaski? Perhaps it should be kept the way it is. Archer Avenue passes through just to the north. Adding another arterial street to the area could cause traffic headaches.

Still, the opening in the ‘L’ is there in case the city ever changes its mind.