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Happy Thanksgiving! Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and peaceful holiday. 

The 34th Ward office will be closed on Thursday, November 27th and Friday, November 28th before reopening on Monday, December 1st. I'm looking forward to hearing more of your ideas for the 2026 City Budget (email me your thoughts here) and how we can work to support residents and long term growth & development across Chicago. 

Are you looking for opportunities to give back and volunteer this holiday season? Block Club Chicago has a list of many non-profits and mutual aid groups across our city and information on how you can support their important work, which you can find here.

Thanksgiving Parade

November 27th, 8am

The annual Chicago Thanksgiving Parade will step off on State Street on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27 at 8am. Residents can expect rolling closures between 5am and 2pm on Thanksgiving Day, and please note that State between Washington and Randolph will be closed today (November 26th) to paint a turkey on the street. The following street closures will be in place on November 27th:

• State from Roosevelt to Wacker
• East/west streets bounded by Wacker, Ida B. Wells, Wabash, and Dearborn
• Harrison from Wabash to Clark
• Polk from Clark to State
• East/west streets bounded by State, Ida B. Wells, Wabash, and Roosevelt 

The parade will step off at Ida B. Wells Dr and State St at 8am and will travel north to Randolph St, where marchers will disband. Residents are encouraged to plan in advance and allow extra time for travel due to rolling traffic reroutes, closures, and increased pedestrian congestion. CTA train and bus reroutes can be found here. The parade will be broadcast live on CBS2.

This year's event will feature dozens of floats, balloons, and performances. For more information and to view a complete lineup of this year's participants, please visit the parade website.

Canal Street is now open!

I'm excited to share that that Canal Street between Lake and Kinzie reopened this past Saturday following sidewalk and street repairs!

My office worked on this project alongside the Chicago Department of Transportation, Metra, and other departments to finish the repairs ahead of schedule. Punchlist items remain but the street is now open ahead of Thanksgiving.

On November 1st, many Chicagoans saw cuts to critical SNAP resources. Organizations like the Greater Chicago Food Depository are continuing their vital food distribution work across our City, including at Our Lady of the Holy Family. They opened up additional distribution sites on Saturdays in November (click here for hours):

• Grace and Peace, 1856 N LeClaire Ave, Chicago

• Harmony Community Cares, 1908 S Millard Ave, Chicago

• St. Sabina, 1210 W 78th Place, Chicago

• Nourishing Hope - Ravenswood, 5151 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago

• Sankofa Food Market, 901 E 95th Street, Chicago

• Free-N-Deed Market, 14200 S Martin Luther King Dr, Dolton

Please click here for a full list of the Greater Chicago Food Depository's locations near you.

If you're interested in volunteering to support their mission, please click here.

Santa Casting Call

If you're interested in adding a one-night-only performance as 'Santa Claus' to your resume, look no further than the December 6th Mary Bartelme Park holiday celebration! The Mary Bartelme Park Advisory Council is seeking a volunteer to help light up the park as Old St. Nick from 3:30-5:30.

Email the Park Advisory Council to learn more.

Help shape the Chicago Inspector General's project priorities for 2026!

OIG is accepting feedback through December 31, 2025.

The City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) has published two draft documents that share details of proposed projects under consideration for 2026. Both documents are posted on OIG’s website for public review and comment.

• Click here to read the 2026 Public Safety Draft Annual Plan
  • OIG’s Public Safety section works to improve the effectiveness, accountability, and transparency of the Chicago Police Department and Chicago’s police accountability agencies.
• Click here to read the 2026 Audit and Program Review Draft Annual Plan
  • OIG’s Audit and Program Review section conducts independent, objective analyses and evaluations of City programs and operations.

Community feedback helps OIG prioritize projects for the coming year to align with what is of most concern and importance to all Chicagoans. OIG invites you to explore both draft plans and encourages you to provide your feedback by taking the community feedback survey at igchicago.org/survey.

Know Your Rights

The City has created a "Protecting Chicago" website to connect neighbors with resources and information about their immigration rights in Chicago. Please click below to be connected with the City's new "Protecting Chicago" site.

• 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

CDOT Electric Vehicle Survey

The Chicago Department of Transportation is asking residents to share their feedback on their Electric Vehicle and Mobility Infrastructure initiative through a short community survey. Click below to take the share your thoughts.

Keep leaves off of the street!

As leaves fall, please do not sweep them into the street. That is not only a violation of City Ordinance, but can lead to flooding and icy conditions during the winter months, especially if they clog a sewer cover. 

Call 311 to request yard waste pick up, or use leaves as mulch in your yard. 

Affordable ARO Housing Available for Veterans

Because of a new ordinance co-sponsored by Ald. Conway, all ARO housing units prioritize veteran applicants for one month before the units are available to other eligible applicants.

Two 1-bedrooms available for $1308, one for an immediate move-in and one for January and two 2-bedrooms available for $1569, one available for an immediate move-in and one available for January. Porte is in the 60% AMI range for income restrictions. Visit the Porte Apartments website to inquire. 

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.

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! 

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!

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.

Lake Street Bascule Bridge Rehabilitation

Closure started 9am 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. During this work, CTA Green and Pink lines will operate normally until September 2026. The work on the Lake Street Bascule Bridge is expected to be completed in January 2028. 

The CDOT project website will be updated with the most up-to-date information on construction, and you can learn more here.

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

State / Lake CTA Station Upgrade

CDOT and CTA continue work to transform the 108-year-old CTA train station at State & Lake. The work will affect the CTA bus routes listed here. Lake St has been reduced to one lane at the site, and State St has been reduced to one lane in each direction between Wacker Dr and Randolph St.

The CTA train station will remain open, and access to surrounding businesses will be maintained throughout construction. The new station is expected to be finished in 2029.

Halsted Street & Chicago Avenue Bridge Project

The Halsted St / Chicago Ave project is underway. Crews have removed existing street lighting, traffic signals, signage, and bus shelters. Viaduct removal is underway along the north leg of Halsted and the east end of Chicago Ave.

Demolition of the Chicago Ave bridge will continue over the next month. In areas where demolition is complete, crews will begin constructing new bridge piers. Crews will implement measures to minimize disruptions as much as possible, but noise and dust are inherent to the bridge demolition process.

Full closure of the Chicago Ave Bridge began September 29. The current detour map can be found here. The full project is expected to be completed by the end of the year 2026.

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.

Bridge Repairs

2025 Menu Improvement Projects

The following project start dates are subject to change, pending weather and equipment considerations.

Street Resurfacing Projects

• Rescheduled for 2026: S. Carpenter Street, from Taylor to Arthington
• Completed: Wabash from Wacker to Balbo
• Complete: N. Garland Ct., from W. Randolph to W. Washington
• Complete: N. Holden Ct., from W. Washington to dead end
• Completed: N. Green Street, from Madison to Washington
• Completed: N. Peoria Street, from Madison to Washington
• Completed: S. Ada Street, from Lexington to Flournoy
• Completed: W. Polk Street, from Morgan to Racine

Alley Improvement Projects

• Rescheduled for 2026: North/south alley bounded by S. Wabash, S. State, E. Jackson, E. Adams
• Rescheduled for 2026: East/west alley bounded by W. Lexington St., W. Flournoy St., S. Ada St., S. Lytle St.
• Rescheduled for 2026: North/south alley bounded by W. Taylor St., W. Arthington St., S. Carpenter St., S. Aberdeen St.
• Completed: North/south alley bounded by S. Wabash, S. Michigan, E. Adams, E. Jackson
• Completed: East/west alley bounded by S. Racine, S. Aberdeen, W. Adams St., W. Monroe St.
• Completed: North/south alley bounded by W. Flournoy, W. Harrison, S. Racine, W. Westgate

Sidewalk Improvements

• In progress: tripping hazards at 802 and 837 S. Carpenter

Residential Bump Out Installations

• Completed: W. Monroe & S. Green – detached bump outs - (1) at each corner
• Completed: S. Jefferson & W. Congress – (2) curb extensions 

• Completed: W. Van Buren & S. Aberdeen – (1) curb extension to be installed on the N/W corner
• Completed: S. Jefferson & W. Harrison – (2) curb extensions to be installed on the N/W & N/E corners

Residential Lighting Improvement Projects

• Completed: 800 & 900 block of S. Carpenter
• Completed: 800 & 900 block of S. Miller
• Completed: 1000 block of W. Arthington
• Completed: 1000 block of W. Cabrini

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.

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. 

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, and is on schedule to be completed by December.

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.

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 reconstruction.

Update: November 13, 2025

The partial opening of Canal Street, from Adams Street to Jackson Boulevard, is projected to occur by the end of this year.  Traffic will be staged to safely align with other adjacent ongoing construction projects on Canal Street.  Pedestrian access to both sides of Canal Street will be open for use at this time.

The project is anticipated to be completed in February 2026. If you have any questions, please email the project email address at CDOTCanalProjects@gmail.com.

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

• City of Chicago
• Cook County

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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