Wishing you and your loved ones a happy holiday season!
The 34th Ward Office will be closed on December 24th-26th, December 31st, and January 1st.
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2025 Budget Vote
On Monday, I voted 'No' on the Mayor's budget. It passed 27-23.
It is unfair to balance the city budget on the backs of hardworking Chicagoans with a laundry list of increased costs while refusing to take a real look at how to prioritize government spending. We simply can’t ask working families to pay more if the City isn’t willing to put our own house in order.
There were additional efficiencies to consider but unfortunately, Mayor Johnson repeated some of the same mistakes of those before him by being unable to make hard choices and kicking the can down the road even further.
This budget process was characterized by unsuccessful sweeteners, unnecessary delays, and proposals that, as the Mayor put it, were just meant to ensure we were paying attention.
It’s time for serious governing. With structural deficits and new debt projected out into the future, we must be more thoughtful about our finances throughout the year, rather than a rushed process where Chicagoans carry the burden and pay the price.
Looking to the new year ahead of us, we have an opportunity to proactively find solutions which prioritize public safety in every community, invest in our growth, and make sure all Chicagoans have access to a vibrant future.
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Holiday Sing-Along
Friday, December 20 at 6 p.m.
Millennium Park at The Bean
Join DCASE for the final Holiday Sing Along of the season! This Friday, the Chicago Chamber Choir will be singing at the Bean at 6pm.
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Chanukah Celebration
December 26, 5pm
Mary Bartelme Park
Join Chabad UIC & West Loop for their annual Chanukah Celebration at Mary Bartelme Park for a menorah lighting, hot chocolate, and a Chanukah craft to-go for the kids.
Register in advance here.
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Canal Street One-Way Pilot Project Update
The one-way pilot project on N. Canal, from W. Lake to W. Kinzie, is coming to an end. Constituent feedback to this pilot was overwhelmingly negative, frequently noting the traffic difficulty during rush hour. As a result, I worked with CDOT to return this section of Canal Street (from Lake to Kinzie) to a two-way street.
CDOT will begin as early as next week (weather permitting) to restripe the pavement with new markings and will adjust the current signage to show the street will be returned to two-way. All cement work and permanent markings will be installed in 2025.
Thank you for your patience and collaboration throughout this pilot. With any questions or comments please email dan@ward34.org.
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Stay connected with the 34th Ward on social media!
Alderman Conway can be found at the links below or with the @AldConway handle on the following platforms.
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Apply for your CityKey card online!
The Office of the City Clerk is excited to announce the completion of a first-of-it's kind CityKey online platform, giving residents another way to get their free CityKey card! Chicagoans can now apply for a CityKey online and once their information verified, they can receive your CityKey card through the mail.
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Applicants will need to upload the proper documents along with a passport-size photo, the steps can be found in the Applying for your CityKey section. Read more and apply for your CityKey here.
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City Clerk 2025 Pricing Updates
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2025 Shared Cost Sidewalk Program
The City's Department of Transportation Shared Cost Sidewalk Program will once again be taking applications for next year's sidewalk replacement projects. The program overview can be found here and every property owner that does not have a vaulted sidewalk may be eligible. If you are interested in participating, please email dan@ward34.org by no later than Jan. 7, 2025 to assure that you will be included in next year's program.
Please email the following info:
- Name
- Billing Address/Location of non-vaulted sidewalk
- Date of birth (if requesting the Senior Citizen rate)
- Phone number & email address
- Driveways, Courtesy Walk, and Landing Step replacement need to be included in the request
- Please include if there's currently an existing sprinkler system under the public right of way
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Shop local this Holiday Season!
The 34th Ward is home to many great local businesses, so you can shop local for anything on your list this year! The Chicago Loop Alliance has a helpful 'Holidays in the Loop' guide for all things entertainment, dining, and shopping this season.
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Backyard Compost Bin Giveaway
Backyard composting is a rewarding way to reduce your household waste, and the Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) is offering FREE backyard compost bins to help Chicago residents get started!
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DSS will provide up to 20 compost bins for residents in each of the City's 50 wards. Requests may be made using an online form, and city staff will deliver the bin to your door. To be eligible, you must live in the City of Chicago in a single-family home or building with 4 dwelling units or less.
Learn more about backyard composting and request a FREE compost bin here.
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Winter Parking Restrictions
From December 1st to April 1st, the City's overnight parking ban is in place on snow routes. This allows snow plows and emergency vehicles to move easily along affected streets. Be mindful of posted no parking signs so you don't get ticketed and towed and so we can create less hazardous winter road conditions for our neighbors.
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This is in effect daily from 3am-7am whether it snows or not, and you should also avoid parking in areas with posted Winter Parking Ban signs when snowfall is over 2 inches.
To see a map of streets impacted, click here. Visit the Streets and Sanitation website to learn more. You can also track the locations of snow plows here.
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Help Shape OIG’s Project Priorities for 2025
The Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) has published two draft documents outlining details of over 50 proposed projects under consideration for 2025. OIG invites you to read the plans and take the Community Feedback Survey to provide your feedback here.
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Peoples Gas Main Replacement - Wabash from Monroe to Balbo
Peoples Gas (PGL) is continuing a major infrastructure upgrade project along Wabash from Monroe to Balbo as well as on Harrison from Michigan to Wabash. This gas main replacement project is part of PGL’s ongoing efforts to modernize its system in order to ensure continued safe and reliable service to the City of Chicago.
The work hours may vary throughout the project, but we currently anticipate working from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. During construction hours you will be able to expect traffic in each direction maintained through our work zones. This gas main installation will at times impact access to garages and/or loading docks so they ask that any deliveries or driveway access needed during work hours be communicated to on-site personnel with advance notice to the extent possible to allow access to be accommodated with minimal delay.
- Week of 12/16
- Continue gas main Installation in Wabash between Van Buren and Ida B. Wells (9am-4pm M-F)
- Backfill existing service in Wabash between Monroe and Adams (9am-4pm M-F)
- Backfill all openings and de-mobilize until 2025
- Week of 12/23
- Week of 12/30
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Coco Delivery Service
Coco, a personal delivery device operator, began deploying their devices in a pilot service area encompassing parts of the 34th Ward. Cocos are always controlled by a professionally trained pilot when in the public right of way. To learn more about the Coco program, please click here.
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118 N. Clark Crane Lifts
December 7th, 14th, and 28th, 7:30am
Four-hour helicopter lifts will be taking place at 118 N Clark Street on December 7th and 14th at 7:30 AM. The following street closures will be in effect during the lift:
- West Randolph Street Between North LaSalle Street and North Dearborn Street
- North Clark Street Between West Lake Street and West Calhoun Street
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Traffic Management: Tribune and U-Haul Demolition
- Monday-Friday truck traffic will be focused from 9am – 4pm to avoid the morning and afternoon commuter rush hours. Once trucks are on-site, they will be on private property and not in the public right of way.
- Weekends will be used for heavy hauling and will limit truck traffic from 8:00am – 8:00pm.
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- Traffic entrance and exit as noted in the above diagram (please note, barging material as shown, is not an option at this point). If more entrances and access become available, Brandenburg will consider editing said plan.
- Brandenburg has a scale set up onsite and random trucks leaving the site will be weighed to verify optimal capacity and to adhere to city trucking load limits.
- This plan will be modified as conditions in the field dictate.
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Work is underway for the Canal Street Viaduct demolition stage between Adams and Jackson.
Day and night work continues for this stage of work. The night work involves activities that cannot be performed when the Chicago Union Station is open. Access to the east sidewalk of Canal Street between Adams and Jackson and the entrance to Union Station/222 South Riverside will be limited but maintained at night. The entrance will remain open during the day with brief intermittent closures occurring on the east sidewalk.
If you have any questions, please email the project email address at CDOTCanalProjects@gmail.com.
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Volunteer with Hope's Table!
The Hope’s Table ministry is designed to serve the needs of Chicagoans who are homeless or hungry and is sponsored by First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple.
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Saturday morning services typically include serving hot meals and food to go, distributing clothing, and connecting guests with legal support through DePaul University’s Neighborhood Legal Assistance Program. Grace Episcopal Church partners in many ways, most visibly by providing space at 637 S. Dearborn. To volunteer or donate, please contact their volunteer coordinator.
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Volunteer at the Art Institute of Chicago!
The Art Institute is now accepting applications for their Winter Training Cohort for the Volunteer Program and is looking to fill positions for Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. The Volunteer Program activates the Ryan Learning Center, primarily supporting programs and spaces for young people and the adults connected to them. Click here for more information about how to apply.
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Helping Cats Near You
4th Sunday of every month, 4pm - 6pm
Details here.
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Discuss how to help community cats through TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return), what to do with kittens, ongoing colony management, preventing nuisance issues and much more!
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