Analysis of Navy Pier - Essay Example

Navy Pier is one of the largest attraction sites in Chicago. It comprises of several exhibition facilities, parks, shops, gardens and attraction sites covering more than fifty acres of Lake Michigan shoreline. It has beautiful attraction sites such as the remote control boats, light tower ride and the carouse, which attract close to 9 million visitors in a year. According to its director of communication and public relations, Mr. Tommy Chase, it is the most visited destination in the Midwest. Inside the pier, there is the incredible Chicago Funhouse Maze which allows a person to navigate across 4000 sq. ft. what is more, there are the amazing Crystal gardens which provide a beautiful platform for events such as weddings and anniversaries. The pier consists of many amazing sites include the children museum, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and the IMAX theater. These facilities improve the overall image of the destination

At the children museum, kids enjoy lively wonders and educational explorations, such as the big backyard and the Inventing Lab. The piers Chicago Shakespeare theatre offers great entertainment through amazing performances and classics. On the other hand, there are plenty outdoor activities at the Navy Pier including the Captain on helm statue, thus, giving a special fun time. A ride on the Ferris wheel allows one to have a view of the beautiful Chicago city and the great Lake Michigan. The pier also considers the changing weather conditions and, therefore, on sunny days, people can engage in boating activities across the Shore line and Seadog. At the Navy Pier, there are array of events throughout the year such as the fireworks displays during summer and Chicago Toy and Game Fair in winter.

The Navy Pier is clearly the ultimate destination for anyone visiting Chicago. It gives an all-round fun experience to the whole family. However, there are many improvements that could develop the pier and make it more outstanding.One major problem at the Navy Pier is navigation. There is a urgent need to reconstruct the current pedestrian and bike detour to avoid the current confusion that endangers peoples lives. Some of the changes include improvement of the map by marking it clearly to identify the different points in the pier. It is also better to separate the pedestrian routes and the bike routes for safety and convenience purposes. The separate modes of navigation will also help in managing many people at the pier. In addition to this, an alternative route for seasoned bike riders would help in reducing the commotion at the construction zone.

Conversely, the trail designs standards must be taken into consideration when construction the new detour.The current one does not accommodate the volume of users and the traffic mix exposes the users to uncomfortable experience. This scenario is due to the fact that the detour was constructed below the standards required by the Lakefront trail design. It would be better if the segments are widened as per the trail design requirements. Apart from that, the signals and markings require great improvement in terms of clarity on where pedestrians and bikers should go. Things like different colors, arrows or just clear visible signals can be applied in implementing the solution. Another adjustment would be at the entry points where signs explaining the routes for pedestrians and passengers are required.When people are organized from the point of entry, they will not be confused while inside the pier.