A two-level street running along the south bank of the Chicago River, Wacker Drive is one of the most significant pieces of urban engineering in American history and one of the few examples of a successful double-decker urban thoroughfare. The upper level carries general traffic; the lower level carries commercial delivery trucks and has become celebrated as a location for film car chases.
The approach to the city along Wacker from the west, with the skyline rising on all sides, is one of the great urban experiences in the United States. The Chicago Riverwalk is accessible from Wacker along the river level. The concentration of 1920s-era office towers on both sides of the river — the Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, 333 W Wacker Drive — makes the stretch around the bridge particularly rewarding to photograph.