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Alderman of the 34th Ward reports on May City Council actions including approving David Glockner as Inspector General, expanding the Canal–Congress TIF to include the Greyhound Station, and supporting the Rev. Jesse Jackson Fair Access to Democracy ordinance and a ban on police officers tied to extremist groups. The newsletter also notes housing/development progress (landmark approval for the adaptive reuse of 30 N. LaSalle to create 349 apartments) and city safety/governance votes, along with ongoing transit and street projects affecting the ward (including CTA State/Lake station reconstruction and multiple CDOT bridge works). Other major updates include Memorial Day closures/activities, local events like the Fulton River District mural meet-and-greet and the Sueños festival with related street/sidewalk closures, the opening of the Mary Bartelme Park playground, and reminders about upcoming CAPS meetings and ward infrastructure resurfacing/sidewalk work.

The newsletter (from Alderman Connie Fairbanks, 34th Ward) highlights major local infrastructure and transportation impacts, including upcoming street/alley work in the 34th Ward and multiple CDOT/CTA closures: State/Lake station area closure through May 22 (street closures through the area until that date), construction at the Canal Street viaduct and ongoing Lake Street Bascule Bridge rehabilitation through January 2028, plus work on the Halsted/Chicago Ave and Ashland/I-290 viaduct projects. It also announces several community items and deadlines, including applications for the city’s Chicago Youth Works summer youth employment program (deadline May 29) and the Commercial Corridor Storefront Activation (CCSA) program for eligible State Street businesses (applications open/round closes May 15 at 5:00pm), along with park playground improvements at Mary Bartelme Park and ongoing street sweeping. Other events/announcements include West Loop Green City Market opening Saturdays (8am–1pm), the South Loop and Daley Plaza farmers markets returning, a West Loop Wine Walk (May 15), Cop on a Rooftop with CPD (May 15), and Memorial Day parade/wreath-laying details at Daley Plaza.

Alderperson in the 34th Ward shared several local infrastructure and transportation updates, including street resurfacing/alley/curb-and-gutter work beginning around May 8–June and major CTA/CDOT projects affecting access along State/Lake (closure through May 22, 2026; new station expected by 2029), Canal Street viaduct reconstruction (including a full Canal closure May 9), and ongoing Lake Street bascule bridge and Halsted/Chicago Avenue bridge work. They also highlighted ongoing neighborhood service items like Mary Bartelme Park playground improvements starting May 7 and the start of the April 1 street sweeping season, plus upcoming Ward events like the May 9 34th Ward Shred-A-Thon and May 14’s Citywide Green Social Mixer at Garfield Park Conservatory.

The newsletter includes multiple Ward 34 updates, including ongoing infrastructure work (street/alleys resurfacing and a W. Flournoy residential lighting project) and major transit/road closures affecting the area: CTA State/Lake station closure with State Street shut down until May 22, 2026, and other large CDOT/CDOT-CTA projects (Canal Street viaduct reconstruction, Lake Street bascule bridge closure through January 2028, Halsted/Chicago Ave bridge demolition work, and Ashland/I-290 expressway viaduct Stage 2 traffic changes through June 2026). It also promotes housing-/business-related programming rather than new zoning hearings: the Commercial Corridor Storefront Activation program for eligible parts of State Street (applications due May 15) and Ward 34 community services like the May 9 Shred-A-Thon and upcoming CAPS meetings. Other major announcements/events include the May 1 May Day gathering and parade route with parking restrictions, West Loop Green City Market starting May 2, a May 14 Citywide Green Social Mixer, Chicago Youth Works applications closing May 29, and several community events/summits (including an airport small business summit/job fair on May 12 and various volunteering/community resource listings).

The newsletter highlights development and housing progress at 23 S. Sangamon, where the updated plan would move forward with a 70-unit building and community benefits including public restrooms and 20% affordable units (the community center portion will not proceed). For the 34th Ward, it also lists upcoming infrastructure work (street and alley resurfacing, plus a residential lighting project) and major transportation/streets updates affecting the area, including ongoing CTA/bridge and expressway construction. Other announcements include the 34th Ward Shred-A-Thon (May 9), Madison Street Clean Up Day (April 25), the Commercial Corridor Storefront Activation program application deadline (May 15), Amnesty April (April 1–30), and several community events like the Citywide Green Social Mixer (May 14) and West Loop Wine Walk (May 15).

In the 34th Ward, Alderman (Bill) Villegas highlighted City Council approval of water revenue bonds to replace 20 miles of lead pipes and named Ald. Villegas as Chair of the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. The newsletter also covers several development/zoning items and public meetings, including a 1331-1333 W. Flournoy zoning change community meeting (April 22). Major budget/infrastructure and transit-adjacent updates include major construction/closures such as the CTA State/Lake elevated station shutdown (through 2029), Canal Street viaduct reconstruction, and Lake Street bridge rehabilitation (through January 2028), plus Ward street resurfacing starting in early April and other scheduled improvements. Other announcements include the Greek Independence Parade (April 19) with related street closures/parking impacts, free admission at the National Hellenic Museum the same day, the 34th Ward Shred-A-Thon (May 9), Clean & Green events (April 18 and April 25), Amnesty April (April 1–30), and applications/program notices like Jumping Jack and Chicago Youth Works.

This newsletter from the alderman in the 34th Ward focuses on community information rather than any specific zoning/development or housing/transit budget hearings or ordinances. It highlights ongoing street and transit-related infrastructure work and closures: street resurfacing and alley work starting in early April, the CTA State/Lake elevated station closure and reduced stop service, and major CDOT/CTA projects including Canal Street viaduct reconstruction, the Lake Street bascule bridge closure through 2028, the Halsted/Chicago Ave bridge project, and Ashland/I-290 viaduct stage traffic changes. Other major announcements/events include Earth Month Clean & Green events (Park District and West Central Association), Amnesty April for drivers (City Clerk fee waivers April 1–30), CAPS meetings with the 1st and 12th Police Districts (mid-April), and multiple community events such as the Madison Street Clean-Up (April 25), the Greek Independence Parade (April 19), and the One Earth Film Festival (April 22–27).

This month’s agenda highlights major infrastructure projects that will affect traffic and transit, including the demolition and new construction of the State/Lake elevated station, the Canal Street Viaduct reconstruction, the Lake Street Bascule Bridge rehabilitation, and the Halsted Street & Chicago Avenue Bridge project, all of which will alter service on CTA lines and require detours. Other updates include the 34th Ward Office’s Passover closure from April 3–6, the City Clerk’s April amnesty for parking tickets, the Get Behind The Vest Breakfast that raised over $122,000 for police vests, and the opening of Jumping Jack applications for block parties. Residents are also reminded of the new street sweeping schedule beginning April 1 and the upcoming CAPS meetings with the 1st and 12th Police Districts.

This week’s newsletter highlights several major transit infrastructure projects that will affect commuters, including the State/Lake elevated station closure (January 5–2029), the Canal Street Viaduct reconstruction (ongoing through summer 2026), the Lake Street Bascule Bridge rehabilitation (closing until January 2028), the Halsted Street & Chicago Avenue Bridge project (completion by end‑2026), and the Ashland/I‑290 Expressway Viaduct work (expected finish June 2026). Other key updates include the opening of Central West SBIF applications, the launch of Chicago Youth Works, and the annual Get Behind the Vest pancake breakfast fundraiser, as well as community events such as the My CHI. My Future Teen Bash and the Greece in the EU lecture series. Residents are encouraged to review the updated street sweeping schedule starting April 1, attend upcoming CAPS meetings for local safety, and register cameras for the Police Department’s Camera Registration Program.

City Council approved the Tourism Improvement District, established the COPA to investigate violations of the Welcoming City Ordinance, and paused the tipped‑wage phase‑out. Transit service changes include the State/Lake elevated station closure for demolition and construction of a new station, while major infrastructure projects—Central West SBIF funding, Canal Street Viaduct reconstruction, Lake Street Bascule Bridge rehabilitation, Halsted/Chicago Avenue Bridge work, and Ashland/I‑290 viaduct work—continue through 2026‑28. Street closures for the Shamrock Shuffle, the overnight parking ban, and community events such as the Get Behind the Vest pancake breakfast, Chicago Youth Works, and volunteer opportunities are also highlighted.

Chicago’s 12th District alderman’s office highlighted several infrastructure projects, including the State/Lake elevated station demolition and replacement (expected 2029), the Canal Street Viaduct reconstruction, the Lake Street Bascule Bridge rehabilitation (to finish in 2028), and the Halsted/Chicago Avenue bridge demolition and rebuild, all of which will affect traffic patterns and require detours. The office also announced a citywide overnight parking ban for winter, a new delivery‑robot reporting category, and a camera‑registration program to aid police investigations. In addition, residents are invited to the St. Patrick’s Day parade, the March 17 primary election, the Get Behind the Vest pancake breakfast, and cultural events such as International Women’s Day at the National Hellenic Museum and the Eggs Across Cultures Easter egg hunt.

Alderman Bill Conway of the 34th Ward invites residents to the annual Chicago River dyeing and St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 14, with street closures on Columbus Drive. Participants must RSVP by March 10 to receive a float number. The event will begin at 12:30 pm at the corner of Columbus Drive and East Balbo Drive and travel north to Monroe Street.

The 34th Ward alderman announced that the Chicago Fire’s new privately‑funded stadium at The 78 has broken ground, marking a major development approval that will bring jobs and year‑round activity to the South Loop. A public hearing on March 6 will allow residents to comment on the city’s lead‑service‑line replacement plan, a significant infrastructure spending decision aimed at replacing 8,300 lines annually through 2031. The Committee on Finance also approved a Tourism Improvement District that will redirect tax revenue toward boosting tourism, and the ward is reminding voters that early‑voting sites are open across all 50 wards, including the UIC Student Center East in the 34th Ward.

On March 1, the Central West TIF district opens SBIF applications for small businesses, and a public hearing on March 6 will discuss the City’s lead service line replacement plan, a major infrastructure spending decision. The 34th Ward also announces a new overnight parking ban (Dec 1–Apr 1, 3‑7 a.m.) and a CDOT delivery‑robot reporting category to improve street safety, while several bridge and viaduct projects—including the Lake Street Bascule Bridge, Halsted/Chicago Avenue, Ashland/I‑290, and Canal Street viaduct—continue with staged closures. Other highlights include the 34th Ward office closure for Pulaski Day, Greektown Restaurant Week, and St. Patrick’s Day events at Old St. Pat’s.

Ald. Bennett Lawson’s newsletter reports City Council passed (48-1) his ordinance updating Chicago’s noise sensitive zone ordinance to better support religious communities and notes a motion to make Lawson Chairperson of the Committee on Zoning was delayed. It also highlights CDOT and CTA transit/street infrastructure updates affecting the State/Lake and Lake Street areas (including construction timelines), plus other community items including early voting locations/dates, a Green Homes Chicago application window, and upcoming community meetings and events (e.g., a Sueños & Lollapalooza engagement meeting on March 3).

On February 12, the 34th Ward Office will be closed for President Lincoln’s Birthday and again on February 16 for Presidents’ Day. The alderman’s office highlighted two policy initiatives: a veteran‑city‑sticker ordinance approved by the Committee on Budget & Government Operations and a resolution to provide the Illinois Gaming Board with the video‑gambling‑terminal ordinance, both slated for City Council passage. Major infrastructure updates include the State/Lake elevated station closure and new station construction, Canal Street Viaduct reconstruction, Lake Street Bascule Bridge rehabilitation, Halsted/Chicago Ave bridge demolition, Ashland/I‑290 viaduct work, and a Polk/May stop‑sign installation, while the Green Homes Chicago program, early‑voting sites, and Black History Month events were also promoted.

Transit updates dominate the edition, with the State/Lake elevated station closed for demolition and the Canal Street Viaduct reconstruction underway, while the Lake Street Bascule Bridge rehabilitation, Halsted/Chicago Ave bridge demolition, and Ashland/I‑290 viaduct work continue to reshape key corridors. The alderman also highlighted the unanimous approval of a Noise Sensitive Zone ordinance that protects worship spaces and the launch of a new CDOT 3‑1‑1 reporting channel for delivery robot impacts, alongside the installation of stop signs at Polk and May to improve pedestrian safety. Community news includes early voting sites opening downtown, CAPS meetings, and a range of local events and volunteer opportunities.

City Council met in January, approving an amended curfew ordinance, a ban on most hemp products, and an update to the Noise Sensitive Zone law while a public hearing on the Canal/Congress TIF expansion was scheduled. The council also approved the adaptive‑reuse of 30 N. LaSalle, adding 349 housing units (105 affordable), released a $22 million settlement and noted that 25 % of the settlement budget has already been spent; parking policy changes included a new overnight parking ban and a declined parking‑meter buyback proposal. Transit service was affected by the State/Lake station closure and CTA adjustments, and the Lake Street Bascule Bridge rehabilitation will keep the street closed until 2028; additional highlights included International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a museum member swap, and volunteer opportunities.

The most important updates in this newsletter from Alderman Conway are the transit‑infrastructure changes: the State/Lake elevated station closure and new station construction, the Canal Street Viaduct reconstruction, the Lake Street Bascule Bridge rehabilitation, the Halsted/Chicago Avenue bridge project, and Ashland/I‑290 expressway viaduct work. A new parking ordinance imposes an overnight parking ban from 3 am to 7 am on 107 miles of main streets. Other highlights include CAPS safety meetings, a call for poll workers, SNAP benefit changes, and community events such as a Greek lecture and volunteer opportunities.