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September City Council Updates

My colleagues and I met yesterday for a busy City Council meeting after our August recess. This was our last regularly scheduled meeting before the 2026 budget season, which is expected to kick off in October.

Lake Street Bascule Bridge Rehabilitation

Thank you to the neighbors who joined the Chicago Department of Transportation on Wednesday to learn more about the upcoming rehabilitation of the Lake Street Bridge. If you were unable to join, please click here to review the presentation. 

The Lake Street Bridge will be fully closed to vehicles and pedestrians starting Monday, October 6. Construction is projected to begin this fall and be complete in 2028. I will continue to share construction updates in this newsletter and work with local residents to address concerns about this construction. 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.

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!

Stop by the Mary Bartelme Park Advisory Council table this Saturday from 9am-11am for a pup cup!

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

• Printers Row: 632 S. Dearborn
  • Saturdays, May 24 - November 1, (No Market Sept. 6)
  • 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

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.

Apply for the Skinner West Local School Council!

Deadline: October 17th at 5pm

The Skinner West Local School Council is seeking a Community Representative to strengthen the connection between our neighborhood and the school and shape the future of Skinner West.

To apply, please submit the completed application and proof of identification to the school's main office located at 1260 W. Adams.

CDOT Electric Vehicle & Mobility Infrastructure Survey

The survey is open until Tuesday, September 30.

Your voice matters. The Chicago Department of Transportation is seeking input on the Electric Vehicle and Mobility Infrastructure Framework and want to hear from residents and community members. The results will guide future decisions and help the city better serve you.

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. 

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.

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! 

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.

Jackson Street Bridge Closure

From September 23rd to 26th, the Jackson Street Bridge will be closed overnight from 11:59pm to 5am for bridge testing.

Helicopter Lift - Chicago Board of Trade

To allow for a helicopter lift at the Chicago Board of Trade, there will be street and sidewalk closures on the following streets on October 4th between 8am-12pm:

• Van Buren from Clark to Wells
• Financial from Jackson to Ida B. Wells.
• LaSalle from Jackson to Van Buren

Lake Street Bascule Bridge Construction

The North Sidewalk across the Bridge closed starting September 22nd 2025, as well as the Northeast Stairwell leading to 444 Riverpoint. The South sidewalk and North-south crosswalks crossing Lake at the East and West Bridge limits will remail open.

There will also be weekday day-time single lane closure (northern most Westbound Lane) with the other lanes open for Eastbound and Westbound traffic. Limits for this work are confined to the bridge only to perform West bridge house related work.
 

Scheduled for nights of October 1st and October 2nd 2025, evenings into morning, the project contractor will be closing the roadway and sidewalks for site survey measurements and test bridge lifts from 10PM to 5AM re-opening each date.
 

The long-term full roadway and sidewalks closure is scheduled to start October 6th 2025 after rush hour. 

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. The north sidewalk across the bridge will close 9/15. One westbound lane on Lake St will close on 9/15, as well. In late September, early morning site survey will begin on the roadway and sidewalk, which will require the bridge to be lifted from 10pm-5am each day. The dates for these lifts are not yet set--stay tuned for future updates.

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 first month of the Halsted St / Chicago Ave project is complete. 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 will start on 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 Street Resurfacing Projects

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

Street Resurfacing Projects

• Wabash from Wacker to Balbo
  • Cement work at the corners will be completed this week
  • Starting Monday, 9/22, crews began milling Wabash, from Monroe to Van Buren, and level binder surface was laid this week.
  • All structures, utilities and repairs will then be addressed within the next 4-5 weeks.
• N. Garland Ct., from W. Randolph to W. Washington
• • The street has been milled, with utility and construction work is planned for next 2-3 weeks
• N. Holden Ct., from W. Washington to dead end
  • Estimated start date the week of September 15th
• 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
  • Punchlist items to follow
• On hold: S. Carpenter Street, from Taylor to Arthington

Alley Improvement Projects

• North/south alley bounded by S. Wabash, S. State, E. Jackson, E. Adams
  • Scheduled to begin the week of September 29th
• North/south alley bounded by S. Wabash, S. Michigan, E. Adams, E. Jackson
  • Scheduled to begin the week of September 29th
• 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
• On hold: North/south alley bounded by W. Taylor St., W. Arthington St., S. Carpenter St., S. Aberdeen St.
• East/west alley bounded by W. Lexington St., W. Flournoy St., S. Ada St., S. Lytle St.
  • Start date TBA

Sidewalk Improvements

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

Residential Bump Out Installations

• W. Monroe & S. Green – detached bump outs - (1) at each corner
  • In progress

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

Residential Lighting Improvement Projects

• 800 & 900 block of S. Carpenter – in progress
• 800 & 900 block of S. Miller – in progress
• 1000 block of W. Arthington – in progress
• 1000 block of W. Cabrini – in progress

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 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.

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: September 25, 2025

The contractor will be pouring the bridge sidewalk for the viaduct above Union Station this weekend, and during that time Canal between Jackson and Van Buren will be closed. The closure will begin at 8:00PM Friday 9/26 and end at 5:00AM Monday 9/29. This will be the same type of closure that occurred earlier in September.

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.

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

• City of Chicago
• Cook County

National Hellenic Museum Events

333 S. Halsted Street 

Online Film Club: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - September 29th at 7pm

• Join an online Film Club! This month the discussion will be centered around the film "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968) which is an adaptation of The Odyssey. Register in advance for the Zoom link.

Online Book Club - October 2nd at 7pm

• Children ages 10-14 are invited to join an online book club journey through the world of Percy Jackson, where ancient Greek mythology comes alive in modern adventures. This week the group will discuss Percy Jackson: The Last Olympian and dive deep into Rick Riordan's beloved story, exploring the gods, heroes, and legendary creatures alongside fellow mythology enthusiasts. 

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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