Monday September 8, 2025

Need assistance paying your membership dues? Please contact Paula at the ILLBA office by email or call 312-967-7781.

If you have paid your dues and are receiving past due notices, please disregard them. We are working to resolve the issue, thank you for your patience.

Kennedy rehabilitation update: Week 25

CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that the rehabilitation of the Kennedy Expressway (Interstate 90/94) from the Edens Expressway (I-94) junction to Ohio Street continued to progress the week of September 1.

As a reminder, the outbound Kennedy ramp to Armitage Avenue and the North Avenue (Illinois 64) ramp to outbound Kennedy are scheduled to reopen and the Damen Avenue exit ramp to close beginning, weather permitting, Sunday, Sept. 7. ​ 

The closure is necessary to safely complete repairs and pavement patching and is anticipated to reopen in late October. ​ ​ ​ ​ 

Current ramp closures

• Outbound Kennedy to Augusta Boulevard/Milwaukee Avenue, anticipated to reopen mid-October. ​ ​ ​ 
• Outbound Kennedy to Diversey Avenue, anticipated to reopen in mid-September. 
• Fullerton Avenue to outbound Kennedy and the slip ramp portion to Western Avenue, anticipated to reopen mid-September. ​ ​ ​ 
• Outbound Kennedy to Addison Street, anticipated to reopen late September. ​ 
• Kimball Avenue ramp to outbound Kennedy, anticipated to reopen late September 

​ ​​ ​ ​ The reversible express lanes will remain open in the outbound direction, with two mainline outbound lanes closed at a time. The reversible mid-gate entrance and exits will remain closed. ​ ​​ ​ ​

Click here for more details, including ramp closures

City of Chicago Events and Traffic Restrictions

 Wrigley Field Transportation Restrictions Maps 2024 - click here

Soldier Field Transportation Restrictions 2025 - click here

Transportation Restrictions for Bally's Temporary Casino 2024 - click here

Uptown Entertainment District Transportation Restrictions Eff 12/22/23 - click here

Continued Closure Of Canal St. At Union Station Phase II Updates - click here

1st Ward Entertainment District Transportation Restrictions Fri & Sat (7:00pm – 4:00am CDT)

 Effective June 26, 2025 - click here

CDOT Fall Bridge Lift Schedule 2025, Begins September 27th - click here

McCormick Place Events Calendar

News You Can Use

Google dodges a $2.5T breakup

A federal judge rejected the DOJ's request to force the tech giant to spin off its Chrome and Android products.

Source: Politico

A federal judge refused to break up Google for monopolizing the online search and ad markets, and instead imposed lesser restrictions to curb the power of the $2 trillion company.

In a closely watched antitrust trial pitting the U.S. government against one of the world’s largest tech firms, District Judge Amit Mehta on Tuesday rejected the Justice Department’s request to force Google to spin off its Chrome browser and Android products.

Mehta agreed with the government, however, that Google needed to allow competitors to gain a foothold, and ordered the company to make narrower changes.

Google must now share some of its search data with competitors, and is prohibited from inking deals that make its products — including its artificial intelligence — the default tools on mobile devices.

Read more

New Report Finds Consumers Will Spend Less This Holiday Season — Except on Travel

Source: TravelAge West

Accounting and consulting firm PwC surveyed 4,000 U.S. consumers (in June) for its Holiday Outlook 2025 and recorded an interesting shift for the upcoming holiday season: For the first time in five years, seasonal spending is expected to soften.

Based on the report, PwC expects a 5% drop in overall average consumer spend and an 11% drop in spending on gifts, likely in response to rising prices, economic uncertainty and the broader cost of living, paired with an increasing consumer preference for “value, connection and brands that ‘get’ them.”

Read more

Attention IL and IN Members

Allies for Community Business - Flexible Small business Loans

As a nonprofit, we offer a flexible credit policy and work with business owners who have alternative documentation, including ITIN holders.

We offer loans between $500 and $500,000 to early, emerging, and established businesses in Illinois and Indiana. Our adaptable terms are structured to fit your needs.

• No SSN Required – Apply with your ITIN and valid business documents
• Quick and Easy Process – Complete your application via our streamlined online application
• Accessible Service – Spanish-language support 

You’ve worked hard to build your business. Now let us help you grow your business and create jobs and wealth in your community!

Learn more

“Marketing is telling the world you’re a rock star. Content marketing is showing the world you are one.”

— Robert Rose