Email from Alderman Brendan Reilly, 42nd Ward

February 13, 2026

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Alderman Reilly Reports

Alderman Reilly Comments on the Impacts of Delayed Property Tax Bills

This week, the Committee on Finance met to discuss the impacts of Cook County’s delayed property tax bills on Chicago. During the discussion of Tyler Technologies, the company that administers the County’s tax billing system, Chicago’s Deputy Treasurer described the current system as “broken” and one that “has not been fixed.”

Because of the delayed revenue, Chicago Public Schools was forced to take out a $1.8 billion short-term loan to cover expenses while waiting for property tax funds. The delays have also cost the City of Chicago roughly $9 million in lost interest.

To prevent further harm to Chicago, Alderman Reilly has introduced a measure calling on Cook County to reimburse CPS and the City for the costs caused by the delayed distribution of property tax revenue. Click here to view Alderman Reilly’s full comments before the Committee on Finance.

Alderman Reilly's Office Closed Monday, February 16 for George Washington's Birthday

Alderman Reilly's office will be closed Monday, February 16 in observance of President George Washington's Birthday (Presidents’ Day).

City Hall, City of Chicago Government offices, and Chicago Public Libraries will also be closed to comply with the City of Chicago mandatory holiday schedule. If you are in need of city services, please call 311 for non-emergency requests, or dial 911 if you require immediate assistance.

Primary Election Early Voting Began February 12

Early voting downtown for the March 17, 2026 Primary Election began on Thursday, February 12 at the new Election Supersite (137 South State Street) and the Board of Elections Office (69 West Washington Street, 6th Floor). The hours of operation for early voting at these sites are as follows:

February 12 - March 8

Weekdays: 9:00am - 6:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am - 4:00pm

March 9 - March 16

Weekdays: 9:00am - 7:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am - 4:00pm

Any voter in Chicago can vote at the downtown early voting sites. Starting March 2, early voting will begin in all 50 wards. The locations for these early voting sites are listed here. Voters can also visit chicagoelections.gov for information to vote by mail.

You Are Invited to March with Alderman Reilly in the St. Patrick's Day Parade!

The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held downtown on Saturday, March 14 at 12:15pm. You are invited to join Alderman Reilly to march in the parade. The slot number for our float has not yet been determined but stay tuned to Reilly Reports for the latest updates.

Due to street closures for the parade, we encourage you to arrive at the float line on North Columbus Drive at 10:30am to ensure access. Please click here to RSVP to march in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade with Alderman Reilly and his team. We hope to see you at the parade!

Free Community Shred Events Downtown

Alderman Reilly is hosting two free community shredding events in the coming weeks. On Sunday, March 1 from 9am - 12pm at Ohio Place Dog Park (360 West Ohio Street), Alderman Reilly is sponsoring a complimentary shredding event for the community. Residents should enter the parking lot using the Ohio Street entrance. Households are limited to two boxes and shredding materials will be accepted until the shred truck is full. Please remember to remove all paper clips, staples, and other bindings.

On Sunday, March 8, Alderman Reilly will co-host a community paper shredding and e-recycling event with Alderman Hopkins, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, State Senator Feigenholtz, and State Representative Croke. This event will take place from 9am - 12pm at My Parking Gold Coast (1258 North State Parkway). A flyer for this event is below with guidelines and further direction.

A representative from Alderman Reilly’s office will be present at both events to address questions or concerns from residents. We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming community shred days!

CAPS Meetings

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

There are no remaining CAPS meetings in this district for the month of February.

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

There are no remaining CAPS meetings in this district for the month of February.

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

Taylor Swift Installation at Pioneer Court

The Magnificent Mile Association has installed interactive art pieces for a Taylor Swift-themed exhibition at Pioneer Court (401 North Michigan Avenue). Closures will be in effect at the northbound turnaround at 401 North Michigan Avenue to load art pieces in the evening of February 16. The northbound turnaround will remain open while the pieces are on display.

Fans who would like to visit the installation can visit the site map here showing the locations of the different Taylor Swift-themed items, including an oversized guitar, glasses, boots, and more.

Chicago Park District Concession Management Request for Proposal

The City of Chicago Park District has released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a new concessionaire. The goals of the concession program are to provide the highest possible quality and variety of foods, commodities, and services in order to enhance the use of the parks, providing comfort and convenience to patrons at reasonable prices. Interested applicants can click here to visit the RFP posting to learn more. The application will close March 3, 2026.

42nd Ward Traffic Closures & Construction Projects

Crane Disassembly at 100 W Randolph (Thompson Center)

Originally scheduled to begin February 6, crane disassembly at the Thompson Center will now run from Friday, February 13 at 9am through Sunday evening, February 15. As a result, Randolph St, between Clark and LaSalle, will be closed from 9am on 2/13 to 8pm on 2/15. Additionally, 200' of curb and traffic lanes on the north side of Randolph between Clark and Dearborn will be closed during the same time period.

Filming:

Wacker Dr & Loop

On Saturday, February 14, Chicago Fire will be filming scenes on Wacker Drive and in the Loop. During filming, prep, and wrap, parking will be prohibited at the following locations at the listed times:

Saturday, 2/14, from 3am - 1pm

Both Sides of Wacker Dr from State St to Clark St
Both Sides of Clark St from Wacker Dr to Lake St
North Side of Lake St from Lasalle to Garvey Ct
South Side of Lake St from Clark St to Garvey Ct
East Side of Wabash from Wacker Dr to Lake St
South Side of Lake St from Wabash to Garland Ct
West Side of Garland Ct from Lake St to Lower Wacker Dr

Full street closure on Saturday, 2/14, from 7-10am:

Full closure on westbound Wacker Dr from State St to Clark St

Additionally, intermittent traffic control may be implemented from 7-10am on 2/14 on eastbound Wacker Dr from State St to Clark St. If you have any questions, please contact Luis Perez (Location Manager) at 773-525-2326 or Michael Proffitt (On-Site Coordinator) at 773-938-3358.

666 N Orleans

From Tuesday, February 17 to Tuesday, February 24, filming for The Fugitive will take place near 666 N Orleans St. The first closures will begin at 5am on 2/17, and the last closure will be lifted by Tuesday, 2/24 at 6pm. For a full list of parking restrictions and alley closures, please click here.

Public Assembly:

477 S Michigan Ave

On Saturday, February 14, a public assembly will take place at the northeast corner of Michigan Ave and Ida B Wells Dr. The group will begin assembling at noon and will begin marching at 1pm. The group will march north on Michigan Ave to Wacker Dr, west on Wacker Dr to Clark St, and south on Clark St to Daley Plaza (50 W Washington St). The group will disband at 4pm. The City estimates an attendance of 300 people. No floats or vehicles will be used, and participants will remain on the sidewalks. Megaphones and small speakers may be employed.

400 N Michigan Ave

On Sunday, February 15, a public assembly will take place at 400 N Michigan Ave. Participants will assemble at 2pm and disband at 4pm on 2/15. The City estimates an attendance of approximately 100 people. The group will not impede the flow of traffic.

205 W Superior

On February 17 and 18, parking on the north side of Superior St, from Wells St to the alley adjacent to 208 W Superior, will be prohibited for construction on the building at 205 W Superior. Eastbound motorists will be redirected into the designated parking spaces. Signage will be installed where necessary to guide motorists.

Bally's Utility Work - Grand Avenue

To prepare for the new permanent Bally's Casino at 777 W Chicago Ave, utility work will be completed on Grand Ave in River North. As a result of this construction, Grand Ave, between Union Ave and Kingsbury St, will be reduced to one lane in each direction. These closures began 1/26/26 and will be in place until the end of May 2026.

State / Lake CTA Station Reconstruction

Lake St, between Dearborn and Wabash, remains closed from 8:30am - 3pm on weekdays. A detour is in place using Dearborn St, Wacker Dr, and Wabash Ave. Traffic on State St has been reduced to one lane in each direction between Wacker Dr and Randolph St. Pedestrian traffic will be maintained. Overnight work will occur on 2/17, 2/20, 2/22, and 2/23. The new station is expected to open in 2029.

Lake Street Bascule Bridge Construction Update

Work continues on the Lake Street Bascule Bridge. The sidewalk on the southwest corner of the bridge will remain closed until summer 2026.The Lake Street Bascule Bridge is expected to re-open by spring 2028. For the detour map, click here (note: the Canal St detour listed is no longer in effect).

Canal St Reconstruction

Canal St is currently undergoing reconstruction. During Phase 1 of the project, the east half of Canal St between Adams and Madison will be blocked, and parking on Canal between Adams and Madison will be prohibited. Two lanes on the west side of Canal St will be maintained for northbound traffic. These closures will last until late 2026. Pedestrian traffic will be maintained on the west side of Canal St. Taxis and rideshares will be directed to follow the guidelines listed here. Please click here for a flyer of the impact to vehicle and pedestrian access, and click here for the affected CTA bus routes.

Ohio / Ontario Feeder Ramp

As reported in a previous Reilly Report, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is completing phase 3 of its work on the Ohio / Ontario Street Feeder Ramps. The project is anticipated to be completed in summer 2026. IDOT's press release on these closures can be found here.

Bridge Construction Updates

As reported in a past Reilly Report, construction continues on several downtown bridges, and Alderman Reilly has expressed his frustration with CDOT for a lack of coordination and planning. The State Street Bridge project is estimated to be completed by spring 2026, the approximate completion date for the Chicago Avenue Bridge is January 2027, and the Lake Street Bridge will be completed by spring 2028.

114 E Oak Façade Work

A partial sidewalk closure is in place for construction on the façade at 114 E Oak. 8 feet of sidewalk clearance will be maintained, and the barricades around the construction site will be removed by the end of February.

600 N Michigan Façade Work

Traffic lane closures are in effect on Ohio Street between Michigan Ave and Rush St. All closures are scheduled to end by April 2026. Until February 23, three traffic lanes on Ohio St will be closed to install glass panels on the façade. For the remaining four weeks of construction, only two lanes of traffic will be closed on Ohio St. In addition, the west sidewalk and curb lane near the storefront on Michigan Ave will be closed and pedestrians will be rerouted until April 2026. Signage and barriers will be in place.