Public Safety Update
On Thursday, a large-scale clean up and narcotics arrests took place under the Halsted Street viaduct along Kinzie Street and under the viaducts at Jefferson and Hubbard Streets. At both sites, several individuals were apprehended for suspected drug dealing, numerous abandoned tents were removed, and both sites were thoroughly cleaned.
This comes after months of input from residents of the Fulton River District community and coordination with the Chicago Police Department, the Department of Family and Support Services, and the Streets and Sanitation team. My team and I will continue to work with our City partners to address safety concerns, dispose of hazardous materials, and offer housing & other resources to those living under the viaducts to ensure that the area is safe and clean for all.
As we continue to work together to address safety concerns, please call 9-1-1 to report illegal or suspicious activity, and join my team at an upcoming CAPS meeting with the 1st and 12th Police Districts. Upcoming meetings (and a complete 2025 calendar) can be found in the 'Public Safety' section of this newsletter.
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Green City Market
900 W. Monroe
Saturdays 8am-1pm, starting May 3
This year, the market has moved to the 900 block of W. Monroe, between Peoria and Sangamon.
My team looks forward to meeting with neighbors from 9am-11am!
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Please note - the 34th Ward team will not be at the market on August 30th or September 6th.
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Daley Plaza Farmers Market
- 50 W. Washington
- Thursdays, May 22 - October 23 (No market June 19)
- 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.
South Loop Farmers Market
- Night Market: 150 W. Roosevelt
- Thursdays, June 12 - September 25
- The 34th Ward team will be at the market on September 25th!
- 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
- Printers Row: 632 S. Dearborn
- Saturdays, May 24 - November 1, (No Market Sept. 6)
- 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
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2025 Street Sweeping Schedule
Street sweeping started April 1st, and the schedule is live! Find a map and scheduled dates here. Be sure to move your vehicle on your posted street sweeping dates to avoid getting ticketed or towed.
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West Loop Historic Plaques Project
The West Loop is steeped in history. In fact, we have 19 historical designations, but only two plaques: Old St. Pat’s- National Register of Historic Places plaque and The Jackson Boulevard Historic District- Chicago Landmark plaque. To see the rest of the designations, please visit Connie Fairbanks' website.
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She is also working on historical plaques for non-landmarked buildings. The 850 West Adams Board already installed a plaque on their building that was built by Alfred S. Alschuler in 1910. Only a Condo Board approval and payment is needed for these types of plaques.
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!
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2025 Beat Meeting Schedules
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!
There are two beat meetings scheduled for next week. The meetings will take place on Wednesday, August 27th in the 1st District and 12th Districts.
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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.
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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.
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State / Lake CTA Station Upgrade
CDOT and CTA have begun work to transform the 108-year-old CTA train station at State and Lake. Partial lane closures on Lake St (from Dearborn to Wabash) began this month, and partial lane closures on State St (from Lake to Randolph) began August 25. Contractors will be drilling holes in the street to verify the position of existing utility infrastructure. No demolition will occur during this initial scoping work.
The CTA station will remain open, and access to surrounding businesses will be maintained throughout construction. This work will be in operation for several months. Working hours will be 7am-4pm. The new station is expected to be finished in 2029.
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Halsted Street & Chicago Avenue Bridge Project
CDOT recently released an update for the upcoming project on Halsted St and the Chicago Ave river bridge. During construction, Halsted St from Ancona St to Chicago Ave will be closed. The Chicago Ave bridge will be replaced, and contractors will install a new riverwalk connection, protected bike lanes, CTA bus lanes, street lighting, and new traffic signals.
Starting August 4, Chicago Ave traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction from Peoria St to Kingsbury St, and Halsted St will be closed in both directions. Work will begin at 7am and conclude at 3:30pm on weekdays, with the possibility for work on Saturdays during the same hours.
The proposed traffic configuration will remain in place until October 2025. The following detours will be implemented: northbound detour via Grand Ave, Orleans St, and Division St to continue on Halsted St. Southbound detour via Division St, LaSalle Dr, and Grand Ave to continue on Halsted St.
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Speed Camera Installations
Automated speed cameras are planned for installation at the following locations:
- on Racine, between Harrison and Lexington
- INSTALLED - on Desplaines, between Jackson and Monroe
- on Jefferson, between Jackson and Monroe
- INSTALLED - on Michigan, between Monroe and Van Buren
- 30-day warning period began on 8/1, with citations starting 9/15
These locations were chosen because of their proximities to parks and schools. Installation dates will be shared as they are available.
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2025 Menu Street Resurfacing Projects
The following project start dates are subject to change, pending weather and equipment considerations.
Street Resurfacing Projects
- Wabash from Lake to Van Buren
- Crews focusing on ADA improvements on the northwest corners
- Please adhere to the “sidewalk closed ahead” signs and use other crosswalks during these projects.
- Completed: N. Green Street, from Madison to Washington
- Completed: N. Peoria Street, from Madison to Washington
- S. Carpenter Street, from Taylor to Arthington
- Completed: W. Polk Street, from Morgan to Racine
- Punchlist items to follow
- Completed: S. Ada Street, from Lexington to Flournoy
- N. Garland Ct., from W. Randolph to W. Washington
- Estimated start date is Wednesday, September 10th
- N. Holden Ct., from W. Washington to dead end
- Estimated start date is Wednesday, September 10th
Alley Improvement Projects
- North/south alley bounded by S. Wabash, S. State, E. Jackson, E. Adams
- Scheduled to begin on/around Wednesday, September 10th
- North/south alley bounded by S. Wabash, S. Michigan, E. Adams, E. Jackson
- Scheduled to begin on/around Wednesday, September 10th
- Completed: East/west alley bounded by S. Racine, S. Aberdeen, W. Adams St., W. Monroe St.
- North/south alley bounded by W. Taylor St., W. Arthington St., S. Carpenter St., S. Aberdeen St.
- Completed: North/south alley bounded by W. Flournoy, W. Harrison, S. Racine, W. Westgate
- East/west alley bounded by W. Lexington St., W. Flournoy St., S. Ada St., S. Lytle St.
Sidewalk Improvements
- In progress: tripping hazards at 802 and 837 S. Carpenter
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If you have any questions regarding these or any other infrastructure projects here in the 34th Ward, please reach out to Dan from my office at 312-744-6820 or via email to dan@ward34.org.
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Ashland/I-290 Expressway Viaduct Work
Stage 1 traffic is currently being implemented on Ashland Av from Flournoy St to Jackson St to facilitate the reconstruction of the west side of the Ashland Ave bridge.
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In this stage, traffic configuration will consists of two lanes southbound and one lane northbound on Ashland Ave.
A detour plan for the restricted left turn lane from Ashland Ave to Van Buren St will be implemented to send traffic to WB Jackson Blvd, SB Laflin St, then WB Van Buren St. A detour plan will also be implemented for the restricted left turn lane from Ashland Ave to Congress Parkway to send traffic to EB Harrison St, NB Wood St, then EB Congress Parkway. In addition, that the west side sidewalk of the bridge will be closed, and pedestrians will be detoured to east side sidewalk of the bridge.
Stage 1 will remain in effect until the west side of the bridge is reconstructed. Following this, Stage 2 will be implemented to reconstruct the east half of the bridge. During Stage 2, traffic configuration will also consist of two lanes southbound and one lane northbound on Ashland Ave. The project is anticipated to be complete late Spring 2026. Stage 1 traffic configuration was implemented at the end of April 2025, and is on schedule to be completed by November.
Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to flaggers and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits and be on the alert for workers and equipment.
For road construction updates and general travel information please visit IDOT’s Getting Around Illinois website.
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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 reconstruction.
Update: July 23, 2025
Reconstruction of the Canal Street Viaduct between Adams Street and Jackson Boulevard continues. The concrete bridge deck on Canal Street has been poured and the east sidewalk is now open.
The remaining work includes west sidewalk construction, drainage, traffic signals, lighting, pavement marking, street signs and Union Station restoration.
The project is anticipated to be complete by the end of the year 2025. If you have any questions, please email the project email address at CDOTCanalProjects@gmail.com.
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The City of Chicago and Cook County are hiring! View their respective job posting sites below:
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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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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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