On Tuesday, the Committee on Finance and its Subcommittee on Revenue met to discuss the City's financial health, credit ratings, and a proposed grocery tax. Before asking working families to pay more in taxes and fees, we should be looking for potential savings.
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I joined Paris Schutz for Wednesday's 'Paris on Politics' alongside Alderman William Hall to discuss the proposed grocery tax.
To watch our full conversation, click here.
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Galileo School Visit
This morning, I had the opportunity to meet with students and faculty from Galileo Scholastic Academy alongside State Rep. Yolonda Morris. It was a great chance to hear from Stars about how Rep. Morris and I can support the school.
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Honoring Fast Track
I visited Eddie and Matt Tefka earlier this week to deliver a City Council proclamation celebrating Fast Track, an iconic West Loop hot dog stand. I appreciate the Tefka family's continued support for the West Loop community.
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Virtual Town Hall - The 78
June 16, 6pm
This week, plans to develop a Chicago Fire stadium on the 78 site were announced.
Please join Alderman Pat Dowell for a 3rd Ward Town Hall about this potential development. The development team will be available to answer questions about this site.
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Green City Market
900 W. Monroe
Saturdays 8am-1pm, starting May 3
My team and I enjoyed meeting with neighbors on Saturday at the Green City Market West Loop market from 8-11. This year, the market has moved to the 900 block of W. Monroe, between Peoria and Sangamon.
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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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Join the Department of Environment for a community conversation on Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI)!
The City of Chicago wants your feedback on how green infrastructure can improve your neighborhood. Learn about GSI, explore interactive resource stations, and share your thoughts on urban greening efforts in your community!
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West Loop Historic Plaques Project
Local West Loop historian Connie Fairbanks is looking to connect with buildings on the National Register of Historic Places/Illinois Landmarksto install identifying plaques.
To see the landmarked buildings, please visit her website. If you a connection at these locations, please contact Connie.
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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 is one beat meeting scheduled for next week. The meeting takes place on Wednesday, June 11th in the 1st District.
- Beat 124: Wednesday, June 11th, 2025 at 5:30pm
- Portillo's Chicago - 520 W Taylor St.
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Traffic Stop Survey
The Chicago Police Department (CPD) and the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (the Commission) are working together to create a unified traffic stops policy that could be added to the Consent Decree.
This policy will define how CPD conducts traffic stops, how officers are trained and held accountable, and how the policy will be evaluated.
Both CPD and the Commission have submitted draft versions to the Office of the Attorney General and the Independent Monitor Team. Now, the City of Chicago is working to finalize a policy—and community input is essential to that process.
This is your chance to review the draft policies and help shape how traffic stops should work in our city.
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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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8 N. Morgan Construction Update
Prep work for the building at 8 N. Morgan began last week, weather permitting. Piling mobilization is scheduled to begin May 30th, and the pile installation will begin on June 6th. A sidewalk canopy will be installed on June 23rd. All dates are weather permitting. Contractors have been in touch with impacted buildings for vibration monitoring.
Pile driving will take 12-15 business days, weather permitting, and is planned to occur between 8am and 5pm. With any questions for the construction team, please email Alex Najem.
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Speed Camera Installations
Automated speed cameras are planned for installation at the following locations:
- on Racine, between Harrison and Lexington
- on Desplaines, between Jackson and Monroe
- Installed - warning tickets will be issued until July 14th.
- on Jefferson, between Jackson and Monroe
- on Michigan, between Monroe and Van Buren
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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Please note: the Roosevelt Road Bridge project is scheduled to begin Stage 2 on May 29th-30th, weather permitting.
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34th Ward Infrastructure Updates
2025 Sidewalk Improvement Repair Projects
- Completed: ADA tripping hazard at 1 S. Clinton
- Completed: Tripping hazards at 1000 W. Adams
- Completed: ADA tripping hazard at 900 W. Adams
- Completed: Tripping hazards at 1069-73 W. Vernon Park
- Completed: Tripping hazards at 108-46 S. Peoria (Mary Bartelme Park)
- Completed: Tripping hazards at 940 W. Madison
- Completed (punch list items to follow): Tripping hazards at 200-298 S. Sangamon
- Completed: Tripping hazards at 1011-1121 W. Vernon Park
- Completed: Tripping hazards at 1131-41 W. Vernon Park
- Starting soon: Tripping hazards at 837 S. Carpenter
- Starting soon: Tripping hazards at 202 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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NASCAR Local Impact Updates
The NASCAR construction schedule is now live, and has been adjusted in response to feedback from neighbors:
- NASCAR activity in Grant Park starts June 19th, 16 days before the event and 10 days later than in 2024.
- Impact to Michigan Avenue (Ida B. Wells to Jackson) reduced by 5 days
- The total build time for the race is 25 days, a 42% reduction since 2023.
More information on the local impacts of the 2025 NASCAR race can be found here, including a full list of street and sidewalk impacts.
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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. 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 since stage 1 was implemented, the contractor removed part of the existing deck within stage 1 limits. Next week the existing beams located within stage 1 limits will be removed at nighttime.
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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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.
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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 demolition.
Update: April 22, 2025
Reconstruction of the Canal Street Viaduct between Adams Street and Jackson Boulevard continues.
The Canal Street east sidewalk will remain closed between Adams Street and Jackson Boulevard for approximately 2 months. During this time, Chicago Union Station can be accessed from the west sidewalk of Canal Steet as well as all building entrances available between Clinton Street and the Chicago River.
The project is anticipated to be complete in fall of 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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Summer Movies at Mary Bartelme Park
Mark your calendars for five exciting movies brought to you by the Mary Bartelme Park Advisory Council! All movies begin at dusk. For the full 'Movies in the Parks' schedule, click here.
- June 16: Raiders of the Lost Ark
- June 23: Homeward Bound
- July 14: Mean Girls
- July 29: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
- August 19: Top Gun
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West Loop Wine Walk
June 6th, 4pm-7pm
Madison from Carpenter to Ada
Join West Central Association for their first-ever Wine Walk on Madison Row! Stroll along Madison Row as 14 local businesses offer wine tastings, small bites, giveaways, and in-store specials.
For tickets and more information, click here.
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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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