Wishing you and your loved ones a happy holiday season!

 

The 34th Ward Office will be closed on December 26th, December 31st, and January 1st. We look forward to working with you in the new year!
 

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.
 

Ring in the New Year on the River!

 

The City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) partnered with Art on the Mart to bring their New Year’s Eve fireworks spectacular back to the Chicago River to ring in 2025.

The evening will culminate with a fireworks display from six bridges along the river beginning at midnight, coinciding with the grand Navy Pier fireworks display on the lakefront.

 

Fireworks will be launched from the following bridges from 12:00 AM-12:05 AM on January 1, 2025:

  • Franklin Street (West Side)
  • LaSalle Street (East Side)
  • Dearborn Street (East Side)
  • Clark Street (East Side)
  • State Street (East Side)
  • Columbus Drive (East Side)

The sidewalk on the launch side of each bridge will be closed to pedestrian traffic from Tuesday, December 31 at 4:30 PM to Wednesday, January 1 at 12:30 AM.  Riverwalk entrances will be closed and boats will be prohibited from accessing the Chicago River starting at 11:30 PM. Vehicular and pedestrian traffic will be prohibited on the above bridges during the fireworks display. Residents should allow for extra travel time during this event as the Chicago Police Department may enact other closures not listed above for safety reasons.

 

Rolling streets closures may occur at the following locations:

  • Wacker Drive from Wells Street to Columbus Drive
  • LaSalle Street, Dearborn, State & Columbus Bridges
  • Bridges at Wells Street and Michigan Avenue
 

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) back to a two-way street.

 

CDOT has restriped the pavement with new markings and will adjust the current signage to show the street will be returned to two-way. A new sign, “Turning Vehicles Yield to Bicyclists & Pedestrians," facing eastbound traffic on Kinzie at Canal will be added. 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.
 

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.
 

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. 

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.

City Clerk 2025 Pricing Updates
 

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
 

 

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!

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.
 

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.

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.
 

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.
 

Attend a CAPS Meeting!

 

CAPS meetings allow residents to meet with police officers in their district and discuss public safety issues that are important to them. 

 

Find your beat here.

 

Please stay tuned for updated beat meeting schedules for 2025.
 
 
 

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 12/23
    • No Work
  • Week of 12/30
    • No Work
 

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.
 

118 N. Clark Crane Lifts
December 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
 

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.
  • 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.
 

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. 

 

Beginning January 6th, prep work will start for the segment of the Canal project between Jackson and Van Buren, and demolition work is scheduled to begin the week of January 13th. This will be nighttime work, approximately between 8pm and 4am. 

 

If you have any questions, please email the project email address at CDOTCanalProjects@gmail.com.
 
 

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.

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.
 

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.
 

Helping Cats Near You

 

4th Sunday of every month, 4pm - 6pm
Details here.

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!