September 15, 2023

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Alderman Reilly Reports

Preparing for Possible Mexican

Independence Day Celebrations

Please be informed that this weekend (Friday-Sunday), there may be a large number of cars in caravans related to the celebration of Mexican Independence Day. As residents may know, in past years, the caravan has traveled downtown causing traffic congestion and noise disturbances.


On August 24 2023, Alderman Reilly sent a letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Police Department (CPD) Interim Superintendent Fred Waller to request CPD’s plan to prevent illegal activity associated with Mexican Independence Day celebrations. Please click here to review the letter. 


At this time, CPD doesn’t plan to implement street closures unless caravans are headed to the Downtown neighborhoods. 


CPD and the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) have been preparing for the upcoming Mexican Independence Day celebrations and will not tolerate car caravans that create a threat to public safety.  CPD and OEMC will monitor events citywide throughout the weekend and have plans in place to manage traffic and public safety as needed. 


If street closures are enacted, the following access points to downtown will remain open to residents and employees:


  • North Halsted and West Division
  • North Halsted and West Chicago
  • North Halsted and West Washington
  • North Halsted and West Madison
  • South Halsted and South Jackson
  • West Roosevelt and South Union
  • 18th Street and South State
  • 18th Street and South Michigan
  • 18th Street and South Indiana 
  • West Division and North LaSalle


CPD will not require residents to produce a driver's license or access pass at the above checkpoints. Alderman Reilly strongly encourages residents to allow for extra travel time when traveling in the area.  


Sign up for NotifyChicago emergency alerts at NotifyChicago.org to receive text messages and/or e-mail alerts for incidents/conditions such as severe weather emergencies, hazardous materials, traffic impacts, etc.

This Week at City Council

At the City Council meeting on Thursday, September 14, Alderman introduced the following ordinances:


O2023-0004202: Alderman Reilly introduced an ordinance to establish an Automated Muffler Noise Enforcement Pilot Program. Once passed by the full City Council, the ordinance allows the City to procure cameras with the ability to issue automated citations to vehicles and motorcycles with modified mufflers or removed exhaust systems. These cameras will be installed within the pilot area bounded by North Avenue, I-55, Ashland, and Lake Michigan. This ordinance enjoys the support of five co-sponsors (Chairman Hopkins, Chairman Dowell, Alderman Conway, Alderman Knudsen, and Alderman Lee).


O2023-0004231: Alderman Reilly introduced an ordinance to allow the Chicago Police Department and Streets and Sanitation to tow vehicles illegally parked in Residential Permit Parking Zone 1189.


O2023-0004230: Alderman Reilly introduced an ordinance to remove the Navy Pier Transportation Network Providers surcharge. 


Stay tuned to Reilly Reports for future updates regarding these ordinances.

Everyone Aged 6 Months or Older is

Encouraged to Get an Updated

COVID-19 Vaccine and Flu Shot

Following approval from federal health officials, the Chicago Department of Public Health is announcing its plans to make the new fall 2023 COVID-19 vaccine available to all Chicagoans aged 6 months and up. In addition, CDPH is encouraging everyone 6 months and older to get an annual flu shot.


The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the updated COVID-19 vaccine targets currently circulating strains of the virus. Shipping of the new vaccines (one from Pfizer-BioNTech, one from Moderna) will begin this week, and doses are expected to be available within 5 to 12 days at clinics and pharmacies throughout Chicago. If it has been at least two months since your last COVID-19 vaccine, it is recommended you get the new vaccine right away. Please click here for more information.  


Alderman Reilly will be hosting a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in the coming weeks - stay tuned to Reilly Reports for details.

Temporary Casino Tentative Opening Date Set

The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) inspected operations at Medinah Temple last week during invite-only test runs.  IGB approved the temporary casino to open to the public beginning last Saturday. IGB has also assigned Bally’s operating hours (8 AM - 4 AM). 


Alderman Reilly remains vehemently opposed to the permanent and temporary casino locations selected in River North. Unfortunately, despite Alderman Reilly's persuasive efforts among his colleagues during Committee meetings, and in the media, the matter passed at City Council with a majority voting in favor in May 2022. 


Click here to view the community engagement presentation, shared with the public in November 2022, outlining the operational details of the temporary casino. Click here for an FAQ regarding operations at the temporary casino. Bally’s temporary casino will feature about 800 slot machines and 50 table games, as well as multiple dining options. Based on feedback from the public as well as Alderman Reilly’s comments, Bally’s has amended their curb management plan; click here to view. 


City Departments including Chicago Police, Office of Emergency Management and Communications, and Transportation will be monitoring the area surrounding Medinah Temple. Traffic Control Aides will be present at all surrounding intersections, and additional police presence will be patrolling the blocks surrounding the casino.

Michigan Avenue Expansion Joint Repairs

CDOT will be repairing expansion joints on Michigan Ave at the intersection with Wacker Drive as well as just north of the Chicago River.


Scope of Work:

The project consists of performing the following repairs: replacing expansion joint glands at 6 joints just north of the river and replacing the expansion joint system for the joint at the south end of the Michigan and Wacker intersection.


Construction Schedule:

10:00pm - 6:00am Monday to Friday, September 18th - October 6th 2023.


Traffic Impact During Construction:

  • A one-lane rolling closure will be in place each night during construction hours and will be put out and picked up each day.
  • Both sidewalks will remain open to traffic at all times.


Randolph Street Viaduct Project Update

The Randolph Street viaduct construction is wrapping up. All concrete pours are complete, site cleanup is ongoing and shielding is being removed on the lower level. The roadway is scheduled to be repaved early next week, and expansion joints will be installed in the roadway. The contractor should be off site by Friday, 9/22 weather permitting.


Chicago Department of Transportation crews will be replacing the light poles and reinstalling concrete planters on the sidewalk in the coming weeks as well. Their work may coincide with the end of the contractor's work, or come immediately after.

Dearborn Street Bridge Project Update

Alderman Reilly is extremely frustrated that the Dearborn Bridge Project has taken much longer than anticipated. This project is being conducted by the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) In-House Construction, not contractors.


CDOT stated delays are due to equipment/material procurement problems and emergency repairs in other parts of the City that pulled CDOT workers away from the Dearborn Bridge Project.


That said, most of the work will be completed by the end of September, weather permitting.


The following is an updated Dearborn Bridge Project timeline:


  • 7/24/23 – 9/10/23: Remove and replace SW quadrant of Bridge
  • 9/18/23-9/29/23: Full roadway and sidewalk closure for testing and balancing
  • 10/2/23-10/18/23: FRP bike lane and NW ADA bump-out installation.
  • 10/19/23-10/27/23: NE ADA bump-out installation


Stay tuned to Reilly Reports for future update.

CAPS Meetings

18th District: (312-742-5778 / [email protected])

  • Beat 1831 CAPS meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 19th at 5pm. Location change: 222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza
  • Beat 1832 CAPS meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 19th at 6pm. Location change: 222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza
  • Beat 1833 CAPS meeting will be held on Thursday, September 21st at 5pm.
  • Beat 1834 CAPS meeting will be held on Thursday, September 21st at 6pm.

1st District: (312-745-4381 / [email protected])

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

Skip-the-Line Program for Illinois DMV's: Begins September 1


Illinois Secretary of State, Alexi Giannoulias announces Skip-the-Line program at high-volume DMV's. Appointments and new extended hours are part of the new initiative to save customers’ time. In an effort to improve customer service and eliminate the unpredictability of wait times at Illinois DMVs, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias will implement the Skip-the-Line program on September 1.


  • Required appointments will reduce wait times. 
  • Extended hours offer more availability. 
  • ILSOS.gov offers a variety of services that do not require an in-person visit to a facility or office. 

42nd Ward Traffic Closures & Construction Projects

ComEd Overnight Work


On Sunday, September 17, between 10pm-6am, ComEd will be working at North Dearborn and West Kinzie. This work should produce minimal noise.


Corrective Reconstruction: Alley Bounded by Oak, Rush, Bellevue, and LSD


The Chicago Department of Transportation has begun corrective reconstruction on the alley bounded by Oak, Rush, Bellevue, and Lake Shore Drive. Residents living between 63 E Bellevue and 103 E Bellevue will not be able to access their parking garages during the reconstruction.


This project is expected to be completed by September 22, 2023.


Filming


Flyover Chicago


Flyover Chicago is filming a tourism commercial for the City. They plan to use a drone to film dancers inside the Joffrey Ballet on Tuesday, September 19 from 8pm to 10pm. During the filming, the following streets will have ITC:


  • State from Lake to Washington
  • Randolph from State to Garland
  • Wabash from Lake to Randolph
  • Garland from Lake to Randolph
  • Couch PL from Dearborn to State
  • Benton PL from State to Garland


Saverio


On Tuesday, September 19, from 10am to 7pm, Saverio will be filming at 130 West Wacker Drive. During the filming, parking at the following location will be prohibited:


  • East side of Wells St. from Wacker Dr. to Haddock Pl.
  • West Side of Wells St. from Wacker Dr. to Haddock Pl.


If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Lance Mulvaney at 312-282-8467,


Helicopter Lift 21 E Chestnut


Midwest Helicopter was hired to lift five HVAC units onto the roof of 21 E Chestnut on Saturday, September 30 from 9am to 11am. During the lift, the following streets will be closed:


  • Wabash, from Delaware to Pearson
  • Rush, from Pearson to Walton
  • Chestnut, from State to Ernst Court
  • Delaware, from State to Ernst Court



Canal Street Viaduct Project:


The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) is performing viaduct repairs on Canal Street, between Jackson and Adams.


Vehicle access is prohibited to this stretch of Canal Street throughout the project. Since the viaduct is over Metra/Amtrack train tracks, this project is required to be conducted during the overnight hours.


The project is expected to be completed by early 2025.


Holden Alley Vault Project


The Joffrey Tower Condominium Association is conducting a vaulted alley project on Holden Alley, between East Randolph Street and East Benton Place. During the project, this section of Holden Alley closed to pedestrians and vehicles.


The project is expected to be completed mid-September.


PGL River North Project


Peoples Gas plans to begin a gas main project in River North. PGL will be working at the following locations:


  • Franklin, from Huron to Chicago
  • Superior, from Wells to Orleans
  • Chicago, from Orleans to LaSalle


The project will be completed at the end of 2023.


15 E Oak Street: Facade Project:


Early this week, a facade project began at 15 E Oak Street. Throughout the project, the sidewalk on the south side of Oak, from State to Rush will be closed. A protected pedestrian walkway will be in-place in the curb lane.


The project is expected to be completed October 2023.


120 E Oak Street Facade Project


Summit Design + Build will begin a facade project at 120 E Oak Street on Tuesday, May 30. Works hours will be Monday thru Saturday, from 8am-5pm.  


Throughout the project, the sidewalk adjacent to the building will be closed. It will be covered by construction fencing. Pedestrians will be pushed to a protected pedestrian path in the curb lane.


Deliveries will occur between before 9am and debris will be removed between 8am-9am. There will be a gate at the east end of the fencing for deliveries and debris removal.


The project will be completed in early November.


Peoples Gas Project: Clark and Adams


PGL began work on Clark (Monroe to Jackson) and Adams (LaSalle to Clark) earlier this month. There will be temporary lane closures on Clark and Adams during permit hours but traffic will be maintained at all times


Work days/hours are Monday-Saturday, from 8am-5pm. This project is expected to be completed in October 2023.


Murphy Auditorium Renovation


Driehaus Museum purchased the Murphy Auditorium at 50 E Erie and plans to begin renovations in June. Work hours are Monday-Friday, from 8-4pm. They plan to complete the following interior alterations:


  • Offices are going to be renovated
  • Stage has sunken – leveled out; fix accessibility issue
  • New elevator to go all the way to the top floor


Throughout the project, the following will be in-place:


  • Pedestrian canopy over the sidewalk in front of 50 E Erie
  • 100' of curb lane will be closed in front of 50 E Erie for material deliveries and small crane


They will need to use a small crane periodically throughout the project to lift materials onto the roof that can't fit through the doorway. Driehaus will notify us in advance of installation of a small crane. 


431 N Dearborn Façade Project


Crane construction began a façade project at 431 N Dearborn this week. Throughout the project, the sidewalks adjacent to the building on Dearborn and Hubbard will be closed. Pedestrians are directed to walk in projected pedestrian walkways in the curb lanes.


The project is expected to be completed in October 2023 (weather dependent).



151 N Michigan:


Power Construction installed a tower crane on Beaubien Court for the project at 151 N Michigan Avenue. While the crane is in place, Beaubien Court, from a point 23' north of Randolph Street, to a point 100' north thereof will be closed to vehicular traffic. The crane will be in-place for 8-10 weeks.


The following will be closed throughout the duration of the project:


  • Sidewalk on the north side of Randolph, from Beaubien Court to Michigan Avenue
  • Sidewalk on the east side of Michigan, from Randolph, to a point 100' north thereof
  • Beaubien Court, from Randolph to a point 100' north thereof


Pedestrians will be directed to use projected walkways that are placed in the curb lanes on Randolph and Michigan. The project is expected to be completed at the end of 2023.


Temporary Bus Stop Elimination


Until March 2024, the westbound bus stop at Grand and St. Clair will be temporarily removed.


  • Stop ID Number: 761
  • Route Stopping: #29 – State, #65 – Grand, #120 – Ogilvie/Streeterville Express, #121 – Union/Streeterville Express


Randolph Street Viaduct Repair


CDOT will be performing repairs at Randolph Street Viaduct (East bound lanes only) between Columbus Dr. and Field Blvd.

 

Scope of Work:

Concrete deck repairs, street paving.


Construction Schedule:

7:00 am - 6:00pm Monday to Saturday, April 10th  - September 30th 2023.

No demolition or other excessive noise creating activity will begin until after 8:00am.

 

Traffic Impact during Construction:

 

  • The Randolph Street Viaduct east bound lanes will have one lane open to traffic at all times and one lane closed for construction at both the upper and intermediate levels between Columbus Dr. and Field Blvd. At least one sidewalk will remain open to pedestrian traffic.
  • All parking on east bound Randolph St. will be removed between Columbus Dr. and Field Blvd.
  • West bound lanes will be open at all times during construction with the exception of single night closures (Dates are TBD and updates will be provided).
  • Access to Millenium Parking Garage and Maggie Daley Park will be limited to entrances at the Columbus Dr./Randolph St. Intersection and Field Blvd./Randolph St. Intersection. Elevator/ADA access to the garage will be maintained.


State & Lake Utility Relocations


Utility companies began relocating utilities in advance of the State and Lake CTA project. Train services will not be disrupted during utility relocations. 

 

At least 1 lane of traffic will remain open (1 lane each direction on State St) at all times, but other driving and parking lanes may be closed. 


Construction equipment and materials will be stored on the street, including during time periods between active work. Work will primarily occur 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on weekdays and 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM on Saturdays, but there will be limited work during nights. Utility companies are aware of and required to abide by the Chicago noise ordinance, which limits noisy work during overnight hours.


150 E Ontario Construction


W.E. O'Neil began construction of a 23-story building at 150 East Ontario Street. Work hours will be Monday-Friday, from 9am-5pm (8pm during caisson pours). Some weekend work will occur.  


Throughout the project, the following will be closed:


  • 150' of sidewalk in front of 150 East Ontario
  • 150' of curb lane in front of 150 East Ontario 


Pedestrians will be directed to the sidewalk on the south side of the street at Ontario/Michigan and Ontario/St. Clair. The entire project is expected to take 23 months to complete. 


311 W Huron Project


In June, ARCO Murray began construction of a new building at 311 W. Huron Street. Work hours will be Monday-Friday, from 9am-5pm (8pm during caisson pours). Throughout the project, the following City right-of-way will be occupied:


  • Sidewalk/curb lane on the south side of Huron, from Franklin west to the end of 311 W Huron's property line - approximately 150'. The sidewalk will be used to store their concrete pump, dumpster, and hoist dock. Trucks will back into the site at this location too. Jersey barriers will be placed in the curb lane to create a protected pedestrian path.
  • 3' of the sidewalk on the west side of Franklin, from Huron to the first alley south thereof. This leaves 6' of clearance. They will need to push the fence out a few feet during excavation.
  • 150' of the east/west alley bounded by Huron, Franklin, Erie, and Orleans will be closed. The closure is from Franklin to a point 150' west thereof. 


The project is expected to be completed in September 2023 (weather dependent). 


LG Construction: 751 N. Hudson and 451 W Chicago 


LG Construction continues work on 751 N. Hudson Avenue and 451 W. Chicago Avenue, which are adjacent parcels. Work hours will be 8am-5pm, Monday-Friday.

 

Throughout the project, the following will be closed:


  • Sidewalk/curb lane/traffic lane of the east side of Hudson, from Chicago to the first alley south thereof
  • Sidewalk/curb lane/traffic lane on the west side of Sedgwick, from Chicago to the first alley south thereof
  • Sidewalk/curb lane on the south side of Chicago, from Hudson to Sedgwick


There will be a protected pedestrian walkway in the curb lane on the south side of Chicago Avenue, from Hudson Avenue to Sedgwick Street.


This project is expected to be completed mid-September 2023 (weather dependent). 


Street Sweeping


During street sweeping season (April 1 to mid-November) the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation uses mechanical street sweepers to remove debris and litter from streets, weather permitting. Throughout the season, DSS deploys mechanical street sweepers at regularly scheduled times to clear debris from Chicago streets. Starting this week, dozens of street sweepers have begun clearing the debris and leaves that have accumulated during winter months on both residential and arterial streets. 


On weekdays, from 9am to 2pm, this Sweeper Tracker map will show real-time locations of city street sweepers. For more information, please review the 42nd Ward Map and street sweeping schedule. Residents can also call 311 to find the dates and locations of street sweeping in their area.


Please check for the bright orange signs announcing temporary parking restrictions. These signs are posted two days prior to scheduled street sweeping events. Some streets also have permanently posted signs that specify a once-per-week period when parking is prohibited for street sweeping.


Kennedy Expressway Bridge Rehabilitation


The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) began rehabilitation of the Kennedy Expressway (Interstate 90/94), from the Edens Expressway (Interstate 94) junction to West Ohio Street


The project consists of rehabilitating 36 bridge structures and the Reversible Lane Access Control (REVLAC) system, replacing overhead sign-structures, installing new signage and modernized LED lights, pavement patching and structural painting. Additionally, Hubbard’s Cave, from Grand Avenue to Wayman Street, will be painted and new LED lighting installed.


This project will take place over three consecutive construction seasons and consist of three stages. The following will occur during stage one:


Stage I - Inbound Kennedy


To help minimize the impact to traffic the reversible express lanes will remain open in the inbound direction, while two mainline inbound lanes will be closed at a time. Motorists should expect lane shifts and overnight lane closures and various ramp closures. Later this summer, painting and installation of new LED lighting will begin on inbound Hubbard's Cave, between Ohio and Lake streets. Construction is anticipated to be completed later this fall, with all lanes and ramps reopening and the express lanes resuming normal operations.


Please click here to learn more about the Kennedy Expressway Bridge Rehabilitation, and stay tuned to Reilly Reports for future updates.