[phil21]

> Fast forward to today and the traffic patterns have reversed, with congestion out of downtown in the morning as people commute out towards the ring of businesses and into downtown in the evening where people now live.

Not really true in my experience, having been around here for going on 20 years.

If anything, businesses had been (pre-covid) moving suburban campuses to downtown locations over that time.

The commute into the city in the AM, and out at PM is still the worst. Although worse may not look like much of a difference many days if you're not from around here.

Patterns have certainly shifted some after covid, but not enough to flip the commute as described.

[Certified]

I’m really pleased to get a local rebuttal. The conversation I spoke of happened a little over a decade ago and I’ve been curious ever since if it was a momentary perspective or a longer term trend. Did you see anything around 10 years ago that would agree with my cab driver’s thesis or was he off base then as well?

[phil21]

Sorry I missed this. I think perhaps 30-40 years ago the cabbie would have had a point, but a weak one. If he was around back then he probably watched people and companies leaving the city.

The past 20 years have been the opposite though - suburban campuses relocating downtown, and at least on the North side of the city you saw a ton of urban renewal during that time. While Chicago saw net population loss, it saw a lot of growth elsewhere in the city.

You came across one of the more common "wives tale" tropes cabbies will tell you though. I've probably heard similar a dozen times over the years. You just nod and smile :)