October 3, 2025

Alderman Reilly Reports

Alderman Reilly in the Media

Alderman Reilly appeared on FOX32 this week to discuss a recent social media post by the Chicago Teacher’s Union honoring convicted murderer Assata Shakur. The Alderman also spoke with WLS’s Ray Stevens about the CTU’s post and the recent presence of federal law enforcement agents downtown.

Click here to watch the Alderman’s interview on FOX32. His interview on the Ray Stevens Show can be accessed here.

Lake Street Bascule Bridge Closing October 6

Construction continues on the Lake Street Bascule Bridge. Full street and sidewalk closures on the bridge will go into effect Monday, October 6. Overnight work is scheduled to occur on October 11, 12, 22, 25, and 26. During all work, access to nearby buildings and residences will be maintained for 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. During this work CTA Green and Pink lines will operate normally until September 2026. The project is expected to be completed in January 2028.

Alderman Reilly Welcomes New Business

to the Gold Coast

This week, Alderman Reilly attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Wintrust Bank location at the corner of Rush and Cedar Street. The Alderman praised Wintrust for choosing a site for their new location that is in the heart of a thriving community. The opening of Wintrust highlights the strong real estate and development sector in the 42nd Ward, which benefits all of downtown and Chicago more broadly.

The Alderman was honored to be the one asked to cut the inaugural ribbon, and he looks forward to Wintrust’s success in their new location in the 42nd Ward. See below for a photo of the ceremony!

Ohio Place Dog Park Closed for Re-Seeding

Alderman Reilly authorized a portion of his Aldermanic Menu Funding for the re-seeding of Ohio Place Dog Park. The closure went into effect on Tuesday, September 30. The Park will be temporarily closed for four weeks to allow the new grass to grow undisturbed.

The new clover that was planted will naturally fertilize the soil. This mix grows more effectively in shaded areas than other grasses–making it the best choice for Ohio Place Dog Park.

Due to the high costs of the project, this will be the last time that Aldermanic Menu Funding will be allocated for re-seeding at this park. We request that you please keep your dogs off the grass during the four-week growing period so all residents can enjoy the new grass once the park is reopened.

The park’s gates have been locked, and the closure sign pictured below has been placed at the entrances. We encourage all residents to use the Larrabee Street Dog Park during the closure.

Chicago Avenue Bridge Construction:

Traffic Pattern Update

As reported in last week’s Reilly Report, in response to residents’ concerns about increased traffic in River North, Alderman Reilly has coordinated with CDOT to implement several traffic calming measures. CDOT will install “Local Traffic Only” signs around the area bounded by Chicago Ave, Orleans St, Grand Ave, and the Chicago River. Southbound traffic will be rerouted to LaSalle St, and northbound traffic will be rerouted to Orleans St to avoid traffic congestion near the Chicago Ave & Halsted St intersection.

The Chicago Ave Bridge will remain closed until October 17. To assist drivers, traffic control aides have been placed at several intersections on Kingsbury St from 3-7pm on weekdays. This assistance will be in place until October 17, and the project is expected to be completed by the end of the year 2026. Click here for more information and see below for the current detour map.

Bank of America Chicago Marathon October 12

The 47th annual Bank of America Chicago Marathon will be held on Sunday, October 12. The race will start and finish in Grant Park. Street and sidewalk closures will be in place. For a full list of closures, please click here. A list of closures in Grant Park can be found by clicking here.

To view the course map for this year’s race, click here.

Development Proposal:

669 North Michigan Avenue

A 56-story mixed-use tower is proposed for the northeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Erie Street. Plans call for 498 residential units and 26,531 square feet of retail located on the ground and second floors. The project includes 199 off-street parking spaces with garage access through the existing curb cut on Erie Street.

Service functions will be reached from the alley on the east side of the site. A majority of the building's ground floor east elevation would be set back five feet from the property line, effectively widening the alley from 14 feet to 19 feet wide, improving circulation for delivery trucks and neighboring properties. Three enclosed loading berths, a dedicated trash compactor berth, and 200 bicycle parking spaces are included.

The proposal retains the mature street trees along Michigan Avenue and incorporates additional landscaping along Erie Street to enhance the pedestrian experience. The building is designed to meet LEED sustainability standards and to support walking, biking, and transit use. Click on the following links to review project details and traffic study.

This project represents continued private investment along the Magnificent Mile and supports efforts to keep Michigan Avenue an active and attractive corridor for residents, businesses, and visitors.

The proposal will be reviewed at an upcoming Chicago Plan Commission meeting and requires subsequent City Council approval. As part of Alderman Reilly’s transparent community review process, your comments and observations are welcome. Please click here to provide your feedback on 42nd Ward developments.

CAPS Meetings

18th District: (312-742-5778 / CAPS.018District@chicagopolice.org)

There are no scheduled beat meetings for this district for the remainder of the month.

1st District: (312-745-4381 / CAPS.001District@chicagopolice.org)

Beat 122 CAPS meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 8 at 3pm via zoom.

For zoom links and other updates, please email CAPS.001District@chicagopolice.org.

To find your appropriate beat to attend your CAPS meeting, please click here.

Cook County Homeowner Property Tax Relief Fund

The Cook County Board of Commissioners recently launched a program to assist homeowners who have experienced a substantial increase in property taxes in recent years. The program will begin providing immediate assistance to homeowners that meet the following eligibility requirements:

You experienced a property tax increase of at least 50% in the 2021, 2022, or 2023 tax years
You have a household income at or below Cook County's median income (~$120,000 for a family of four, $96,000 for a family of two)
You occupy the property as your primary residence

Accepted applicants will receive $1,000 in one-time assistance. The application is open now through Friday, October 10 at 11:59pm. Please click here to apply.

Pin & Link Project:

Randolph, Columbus, & Stetson

CDOT's joint rehab work is ongoing along Randolph Street, Columbus Drive, and Stetson Avenue. Please see details below for the ongoing construction and closures.

General Construction Schedule:

7:00am - 3:30pm, Monday - Friday; with the occasional extension to 5:30pm as needed.

9/29 - 10/3 and 10/6 - 10/10:

Columbus Drive (Wacker Dr to Randolph St):
Work along center lanes of Columbus on upper, intermediate, and lower levels
Access Impacts:
Center lane and median closures (driveway access to be maintained)
Pedestrian detours around sidewalk work areas
Temporary closure of northbound lane on Lower Columbus from Randolph St to Lake St
Detour route will be in place directing all vehicles up the ramp to intermediate Columbus
Closure started 9/29 and will last three weeks
Randolph Street (Stetson Ave to Field Blvd):
Work along north side of Randolph on upper, intermediate, and lower levels
Access Impacts:
North curb lane closure and parking restrictions (driveway access to be maintained)
Pedestrian detours around the sidewalk work areas
Randolph Street (Stetson Ave to Field Blvd):
Work along the south side of Randolph on intermediate level
Access impacts
South curb lane closure and parking restrictions (driveway access to be maintained)
Pedestrian detours around the sidewalk work areas

Additional details about the ongoing Pin & Link project will be provided in future weekly updates.

42nd Ward Traffic Closures & Construction Projects

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. Soon, 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 to Reilly Reports 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.

830 N Michigan Façade Work

Contractors are completing work on the façade at 830 N Michigan Ave. During work, a temporary sidewalk closure will be in place until approximately October 31. The façade will be fully enclosed with a temporary wall, allowing a portion of the sidewalk in front of 830 N Michigan to remain open to pedestrians.

Street Resurfacing - Wabash Ave from Wacker Dr to Balbo Dr

CDOT continues work on Wabash Avenue from Wacker Drive to East Balbo Drive. The work is a part of the CDOT's Arterial Street Resurfacing Project.

The work will include ADA sidewalk improvements, curb and gutter removal and replacement, milling and paving the existing asphalt, and striping improvements. During construction, temporary "No Parking" signs will be periodically installed. These temporary signs will restrict parking during working hours, while adhering to rush hour restrictions on construction closures.

Work is estimated to be completed by the end of October 2025.

Ohio Street I-90/94 Feeder Ramp Resurfacing

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) continues to perform work on the outbound lanes of the Ohio Street feeder ramp. Only two lanes will be closed at a time. IDOT is not required to adhere to the construction schedule outlined by the Chicago municipal code. The project is estimated to be in progress until late 2025.

Note: IDOT's work on the Kennedy Expressway, an unrelated but adjacent project, is expected to be completed this weekend, October 4. As a result, all lanes of the Expressway will reopen.

State Street Bridge Project

CDOT continues structural repair work on the State Street Bridge. Throughout the project, the bridge will remain closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. State Street will remain open on both sides of the bridge during construction, and vehicles crossing the river will be rerouted to Clark Street and Dearborn Street.

The project is expected to be completed by the beginning of December 2025.

River North Lighting Project

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) has completed new light pole installation in the area bounded by Chicago, Ontario, Orleans, and the river. CDOT continues to restore infrastructure trenching.