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2027 Budget Update

CTA Weekend Loop Impacts

October 24 at 4am - October 26 at 2am

Please be advised that CTA will be making track repairs, and train traffic at Loop Elevated stations will be shut down from Saturday 10/24 at 4am until Monday 10/26 at at 2am. Most work will be done during daytime hours, but some work may also be done overnight. Businesses will remain open.

• Green Line trains will run between Harlem and Clinton and between Roosevelt and 63rd Street destinations, only.
• After Polk, Pink Line trains will be rerouted to Racine Blue Line stop.
• Orange Line trains will run between Midway and Roosevelt, only.
• Brown Line trains will run between Kimball and Merchandise Mart, only (consider Red Line as an alternative).
• Downtown Red and Blue line services will be unaffected.

The CTA will be operating shuttle buses for the Green, Orange, and Brown lines. Please click here for a detailed map of the available reroutes.

Green and Pink Line Service Impacts

October 13-26, 2026

Due to ongoing Chicago Department of Transportation work to replace the Lake Street Bridge, Green and Pink Line service is interrupted between Clinton and the Clark/Lake stations. This service interruption began October 13th and is scheduled to conclude at 4am on October 26.

As part of this work, Milwaukee is closed from Canal to Fulton until October 30th.

Green Line trains are running in two sections:

• Green Line trains will make all stops between Harlem/Lake and Clinton stations with riders connecting to free bus substitutions between Clinton and Clark/Lake stations.
• Green Line trains will make all stops between Ashland/63rd or Cottage Grove and Loop stations with riders connecting to free bus substitutions between Clark/Lake and Clinton Stations. Trains will make all stops around the entire Loop, following the Orange Line direction and platforms.

Pink Line trains connect to Blue Line-Racine station for connecting service to downtown:

• Pink line trains will make all stops between 54th/Cermak and Polk stations and then connect to Racine Station where riders will transfer to Blue Line trains for continuing service downtown.
• Pink Line riders going to/from Ashland, Morgan, Clinton stations or West Loop transfer to 9/X9 Ashland buses near either Polk or Racine stations or other north-south bus routes (free transfer when you tap).

Arts in the Dark Parade

Saturday, October 24th, 6pm

Columbus from Balbo to Monroe

The Arts in the Dark Parade steps off at 6pm on Saturday, October 24th, at Columbus and Balbo and heads north to Monroe. I hope you can join for another exciting year showcasing State Street and our vibrant arts and culture community ahead of Halloween. Click here to learn more!

Street Closures 4pm-9pm

• Columbus from Roosevelt to Monroe
• Balbo from Michigan to Lake Shore Drive
• Ida B. Wells from Michigan to Columbus
• Jackson from Michigan to Lake Shore Drive

No Parking Restrictions 12pm-10pm

• Columbus from Roosevelt to Monroe
• Balbo from Michigan to Lake Shore Drive
• Congress from Michigan to Columbus
• Jackson from Michigan to Lake Shore Drive

All streets will be reopened at the discretion of the CPD.

Halloween at Mary Bartelme Park

October 31, 9:30-11:30am

115 S. Sangamon

Join the 34th Ward team and the Mary Bartelme Park Advisory Council for a Halloween celebration at Mary Bartelme Park! There will be festive fun for the whole family, including live music, a balloon artist, and more spooky surprises!

Hope to see you there!

Pumpkin Composting

Don’t trash your pumpkins after Halloween-- give them new life as compost instead!

Pumpkins will be accepted for free at all City of Chicago food scrap drop-off locations, and all Chicago residents are encouraged to participate. The pumpkins will be turned into nutrient-rich compost at a local composting facility. 

Chicago Youth Climate Action Fund

The City of Chicago is inviting young people – ages 15–24 – to apply for funding through the Chicago Youth Climate Action Fund. With grants of $1,000–$5,000, young Chicagoans will have the opportunity to develop and lead projects that benefit the environment and their communities.

Projects could include environmental justice advocacy, community gardens, tree planting, recycling and composting, food-waste reduction, clean-energy education, sustainable transportation, and other creative climate solutions. Applications are open through November 6, 2026. 

Citywide Early Voting

You can now vote early for the November election at two downtown locations, 137 S. State St and 69 W. Washington, in addition to 50 local ward voting sites. In the 34th Ward, this early voting site is at 750 S. Halsted,. Through October 25th, the hours will be as follows:

• Monday through Friday - 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Saturday - 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Sunday - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

If you need to update your information or register to vote, you can do so at these sites (click here to learn more about accepted forms of ID). 

Serve as a Poll Worker for the November 3rd General Election!

The Chicago Board of Elections is seeking poll workers for the November 3, 2026 General Election, including bilingual election judges who speak Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Polish, Korean, and Tagalog. To learn more and apply, please visit the Chicago Board of Elections website.

Help Keep Chicago Clean!

By picking up your trash and disposing of your recycling in the blue carts, you can take a big step toward making sure our streets, parks, schools, libraries, beaches, and businesses look their best. Find resources to help you become a cleanup champion here.

VFW Scholarships

Apply by October 31, 2026

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is offering two scholarships for students. The Patriot's Pen scholarship is designated for students in grades 6 -8 and is an essay writing contest. The Voice of Democracy scholarship is designated for grades 9-12 and is an audio recorded essay.

Click the images below to learn more and apply.

Green City Market - West Loop

Saturdays from 8am-1pm

900 W. Monroe

The West Loop Green City Market is open on Saturdays on Monroe from Peoria to Sangamon! Due to upcoming fall events in our community on Saturdays, we will not be tabling at the market for the rest of this season.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Saturday office hours this summer, and keep an eye out in this newsletter for other upcoming events!

Green City Market brings dozens of local farmers and food producers to our neighborhood every Saturday from May to November. To see what vendors participate across Green City Market's locations, click here.

South Loop Farmers Market

Printers Row Park, 632 S. Dearborn St

Saturdays from 9am-1pm

The South Loop Farmers Market is back at Printers Row Park for another season! Stop by on Saturdays through November 21 to support local businesses and connect with neighbors.

Street Sweeping began April 1!

Since April 1st, sweepers have been back in action, so keep in mind the street sweeping schedule in your area so you don't get ticketed and towed. I have worked with the Department of Streets and Sanitation on a robust street sweeping schedule this year. Please click here to find your street sweeping zone and here to find your zone's schedule.

Know Your Rights Resources

• Request a 'Know Your Rights' training or find one happening soon
• Connect with ICIRR's Family Support Network
• Sign up for text alerts for verified nearby ICE sightings
• Find an upcoming event from the Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights

Turn Lights Off to Protect Migratory Birds

Every spring and fall, millions of birds travel through the Chicago area. For more than two decades, Chicago has been a leader in light reduction efforts to protect these migratory birds. Please join participating buildings and turn lights off after 11 p.m. until daylight during migration and help save birds. 

To learn more, visit the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors' website.

West Loop Historic Plaques Project

The West Loop is steeped in history. In fact, we have 19 historical designations, four historic plaques, and one Chicago Landmarks plaque.

Four more historic plaques are coming to the West Loop in 2026, including a UIC classroom, a condo building, and two parks!

To see the rest of the designations, please visit Connie Fairbanks' website.

If you live in a historic building in The West Loop and have historical information about your building you would like to share, please reach out to Connie to learn the process of installing your very own historic plaque! 

CAPS Meetings

Please join my team at upcoming CAPS meetings with the 1st and 12th Police Districts. CAPS (Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy) meetings are a great opportunity to meet with police, neighbors, and my team about local safety initiatives. To find your beat, click here. I hope you can join us at these meetings!

Next week, there is one CAPS meeting in the 12th District:

• Beat 1224: Wednesday, October 28, 5:45pm
  • Union Park, 1501 W. Randolph Street

Camera Registration Program

When a crime occurs, Police Officers and Detectives canvass the area looking for evidence to determine what occurred. Video footage can greatly assist in their efforts.

If you have a private security camera that captures the public way and you are interested in assisting in an investigation in the event of a crime in your neighborhood, you can register your camera with the Chicago Police Department. 

By registering your camera, you are simply allowing the Chicago Police Department to contact you in the event of a crime in your area. CPD will not have direct access to your camera system and cannot access camera footage without your consent. This is a free and voluntary program. Learn more on the program website.

34th Ward Infrastructure Improvements

All dates subject to change based on weather.

With any questions about planned infrastructure improvements, please email bill@ward34.org or call 312-744-6820.

Street Resurfacing Projects

• 900 block of S. Carpenter - completed
• W. Polk St., from S. Wells to S. Financial - completed
• W. Quincy, from S. Desplaines to end of street - completed
• W. Rundell, from S. Morgan to S. Aberdeen - completed
• W. Marble, from S. Dearborn to S. Clark - TBA
• W. Warren, from N. Desplaines to end of street - completed
• N. May, from W. Madison to W. Washington - completed
• W. Gladys, from S. Racine to S. Throop - scheduled to begin 10/6
• S. Throop, from W. Congress to W. Harrison - underway, with resurfacing in the next 2-3 weeks

Stamped Crosswalks

• W. Taylor & S. Carpenter - completed
• W. Taylor & S. Aberdeen - Fall 2026
• W. Taylor & S. Miller - Fall 2026
• W. Taylor & S. May - Fall 2026

Alley Improvement Projects

• N/S alley bounded by Adams, Jackson, Wabash to State - completed
• N/S alley bounded by Arthington, Taylor, Carpenter to Aberdeen - completed
• N/S alley bounded by Lake, Jefferson, Fulton to Desplaines - completed

New Alley Reconstruction Project

• E/W alley bounded by Lytle, Ada, Lexington to Flournoy - completed with punch list items to follow

Curb & Gutter Improvement Projects

• 901 - 927 S. Aberdeen - completed
• 103 - 109 S. Aberdeen - completed (restoration from fiber optic)
• 231-241 S. Jefferson - under construction
• 1004 W. Tilden - under construction
• 110 -120 S. Sangamon - completed

Alley Apron Replacement Projects

• 929 S. Aberdeen - completed
• 14 N. Peoria - under construction

Sidewalk Projects 

• 1167 W. Madison - completed
• 1221 S. Wabash - completed
• 125 S. Sangamon - completed with punch list items to follow

Bump Out Installation

• W. Polk & S. LaSalle - completed
• W. Polk & S. Financial - completed
• S. Jefferson & W. Tilden - under construction
• W. Adams & S. Peoria - under construction

Residential Lighting Projects

• 1200 & 1300 blocks of W. Flournoy - new poles installed - punch list items to follow
• 1000 & 1100 blocks of W. Polk St. - all poles will be installed by the end of next week, with restoration to follow.

CDOT Electrical Improvement Projects

• W. Tilden, from S. Desplaines to S. Canal - currently in progress
• S. Jefferson, from W. Jackson to W. Tilden - currently in progress
• W. Van Buren, from S. Desplaines to S. Canal - currently in progress

Speed Indicator Signs

• S. Loomis, from W. Congress Pkwy. to W. Harrison (CWLA request) - coming Fall 2026
• S. Wells, from W. Harrison to W. Polk - coming Fall 2026

Speed Bump

• 700 S. Loomis - installation in November

State/Lake Station Closure

On Monday, January 5th, the State/Lake elevated station closed for demolition and the construction of a new, fully accessible station. The new station is expected to be finished in 2029.

• Southbound State Street remains closed from Wacker Drive to Randolph Street for underground utility repairs along with upcoming foundation removals and steel renovations in the intersection. The closure will remain in place throughout the year. 
• Lake Street between Dearborn Street and Wabash Avenue remains closed. Follow marked detours in the area.

Local business and driveway access on State Street will be maintained during the closures, and at least one sidewalk will be open at all times for pedestrians. The underground CTA Red Line train station at Lake will remain open.

As part of this work, State Street between Randolph and Wacker will be closed daily overnight between 9am and 6am between the dates of 10/21-10/31.

Upcoming Key Work Activities in 2026:

• Water main replacement on Lake Street.
• Retention system installation on State Street.
• Caisson installation on Lake Street.
• Micro-pile installation on Lake Street.
• Structural steel bent reconstruction on Lake Street.

These activities may result in louder noise and some vibrations in the area. Visit the project website to learn how the team is working to reduce these impacts.

Please note, all work is weather dependent.

To learn more about construction at the State/Lake station and local impacts, visit the CTA's website.

Work is underway for the Canal Street Viaduct reconstruction.

Canal – Adams to Madison

Preparatory work will begin Monday night, October 12, 2026, with nighttime noise expected starting that evening. The first weekend of viaduct demolition will run from Friday night, October 16, through early Monday morning, October 19, beginning at Madison Street and progressing south. Work will continue during daytime and nighttime hours on weeknights and weekends for the remainder of the project.

Stage 1B will be implemented on Monday October 12, 2026. Traffic updates include:

• Northbound Canal Street will be reduced from two lanes to one.
• Monroe Street eastbound traffic will be maintained with one left-turn lane and one through lane.
• The south pedestrian crosswalk at Madison Street will be closed.
• The northeast sidewalk at Adams Street will be closed.
• Pedestrian access will remain open on the west side of Canal Street.

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

Lake Street Bascule Bridge Rehabilitation

Closure started on 10/6

The full street and sidewalk closure on the Lake Street Bascule Bridge is in effect and will last until January 2028. During the closures, access to nearby buildings and residences will be maintained for both pedestrians and vehicles.

Eastbound traffic will be rerouted south on Des Plaines, east on Washington, north on Franklin, and east onto Lake St. Westbound traffic will be rerouted south on Wacker, west on Madison, north on Jefferson, and west onto Lake St. Click here for the full detour map. The work on the Lake Street Bascule Bridge is expected to be completed in January 2028. 

• October 13–26: Crews will remove the existing west bridge leaf and install the pre assembled replacement leaf. This phase of work requires a continuous 24-hours-per-day, seven-days-per-week construction operation throughout the shutdown period.
• CTA Green and Pink Line service: CTA Green and Pink Line service will be suspended between Clinton and Clark/Lake Stations for the full duration of the bridge-leaf replacement work, beginning October 13 and continuing through 4:00 am on October 26. The service interruption will be in effect 24 hours a day throughout the shutdown period, not only during daytime construction hours.
• October 5–31: Milwaukee Avenue will be closed to vehicles between Lake Street and Fulton Street to stage construction materials and equipment before and during the bridge-leaf replacement operation.

With any ongoing questions about this project, please reach out to the CDOT project team.

The City of Chicago and Cook County are hiring! View their respective job posting sites below:

• City of Chicago
• Cook County

Trick or Treat for Tots

Friday, October 30th, 3-6pm

Madison from Elizabeth to Morgan

Join WCA for Trick or Treat for Tots on Friday, October 30 from 3–6 PM along Madison Street!

Families are invited to dress up in their Halloween best and enjoy an afternoon of trick-or-treating along Madison Street from Elizabeth Street to Morgan Street.

Events at the National Hellenic Museum

333 S. Halsted

The Odyssey Reimagined

Thursdays-Sundays, 10am-4pm

The exhibition brings together contemporary artists to interpret the enduring themes of Homer’s nearly 3,000-year-old Odyssey through painting, sculpture, photography, textiles, and sound. Each generation has returned to the story from a different place and perspective, and these artists are continuing that tradition, inviting us to do the same.

Homerathon
October 29, 12:30-8:00pm
October 30, 10:00 AM-4:00pm

Take your part in the epic journey of The Odyssey and join NHM for Homerathon, in partnership with UIC Chicago’s Department of Classic and Mediterranean Studies, to bring Homer’s timeless tale to life, read aloud from beginning to end.

Sign up to read a passage or simply stop by to listen as the story unfolds.

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.

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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