Alderman Martin worked with Ald. Vasquez to secure the funding for CDOT to resurface Damen Ave from Wilson Ave north to Farragut.

The work will involve grinding down the existing asphalt, raising manholes and other utility services to meet the street level, and repaving the streets with new asphalt. This will include replacing the asphalt on the street and replacing ADA ramps as well as damaged sidewalks.

On Damen, CDOT will also be making pedestrian safety improvements in the form of curb extensions and raised intersections at Leland and at Winnemac. They will also include improvements to bicycle facilities.

On 8/14 our office, along with CDOT and the 40th Ward, hosted a virtual meeting to discuss the work and address any concerns that residents or businesses may have. You can view a recording of this meeting here.

Update (12/19/24):

CDOT crews have completed the repaving of Damen Ave.

Crews are working on Damen, wrapping up red decorative crosswalks at the relevant intersections, to be completed in the next few days. This work will be followed by sign installation and green bike markings.

Outstanding concrete work, including concrete bike lane protections at the intersection of Damen & Lawrence (on the approach), raised intersections (including Damen & Leland), and raised crosswalks will take place in the spring.

Giddings Plaza is a staple of the community and has been well-loved for decades. However, the condition of the plaza has worsened over the years, with missing pavers and tripping hazards that make the plaza difficult to navigate for our seniors, young children, and disabled residents. 

Starting on August 12th, CDOT will begin work to remove and replace the pavers on the plaza to eliminate these tripping hazards. The work will replace all the pavers, remove the broken water fountain (behind a bench near Jerry’s) to be replaced with a planter, and remove one of the trees in the plaza due to its health and impact on the pavers. 

After consulting with nearby businesses, our office coordinated with CDOT and the project contractor to create a plan that would have the least impact on the surrounding businesses, residents, and users of the plaza. The updated plan divides the plaza into 5 sections for the work to be completed in a phased manner.

Crews will work on one section of the plaza at a time – working from Lincoln back toward the alley – leaving the rest of the plaza open for pedestrian traffic. This phased approach will allow the plaza to still be partially accessible for pedestrians and residents, and will have the least amount of impact on the adjacent businesses and sidewalk cafés. During each phase, a 6-foot-fence will be put up along the perimeter of the relevant section to guarantee neighbors' safety. Equipment and materials will be brought from behind the plaza, but the alley will remain accessible throughout.

Update (11/21/24):

Work was completed on Giddings Plaza, before Apple Fest.

The contractor still needs to complete punch list items over the past couple of weeks. This involves the replacement of certain pavers that were improperly installed, including to address pooling water.

The City has started work on two new green alleys in the alley bounded by Irving Park, Ashland, Belle Plaine, and Paulina and the alley bounded by Cullom, Hoyne, Pensacola, and Damen to address years of flooding issues. Green (or permeable) alleys are fully reconstructed to incorporate permeable pavers and catch basins to permanently reduce the amount of standing water.

Construction, which started in early October, is expected to last 5 weeks, weather permitting. During that time, there will be no access to the alleys. Residential garbage pickup will be curbside.

12/12/24 Update:

Work is complete on both alleys, which have reopened to traffic. The Irving Park alley still needs to have speed humps installed. Outstanding “punchlist” items on the Pensacola alley, including spot repairs, are set to be addressed during the week of 12/16.

Alderman Martin helped the CTA secure $20M to proceed with a large-scale renovation of the Western Brown Line station, which will take place in 2024 and 2025.

The Alderman and the CTA have co-hosted two community meetings to help shape the work; you can read reporting about the first meeting here. You can also view a recording of the second meeting, hosted on 5/29/24, at this link.

As part of its Collector Resurfacing program, CDOT is repaving Cornelia Ave between Paulina St and Western Ave.

Update (12/10/24):

In the fall of 2024, CDOT successfully replaced all the curbs along Cornelia. However, there was not enough time to complete the resurfacing before winter, so CDOT filled in all open holes along the curbs for the winter. They will repave Cornelia in the spring of 2025.

The Department of Transportation is building the Leland Neighborhood Greenway from Rockwell Ave to Clark St. This low-stress bikeway slow traffic for the benefit of cyclists and pedestrians and will allow cyclists to safely bike from the lake to the river. Improvements will include:

• bike-friendly speed humps;

• detached curb extensions (bump-outs), landscaped west of Western;

• a contraflow bike lane on one-way stretches to allow cyclists to travel in both directions;

• raised crosswalks;

• a protected bike lane and traffic diverter between Lincoln and Western.

You can find out more about the project here.

Update (12/5/24):

Contractors have finished building the project’s bump-outs and are now working on striping the bike markings, including contraflow lanes. They will also be installing speed humps and signage, as well as filling planted bump-outs with soil (they will be planted in the spring).

The Department of Water Management intends to replace the water mains under Greenview Ave from Berteau to Cullom and under Hutchinson Ave from Greenview to Clark. This project is tentatively scheduled for 2024 but no clearer timeline has been set.

The Department of Water Management intends to replace the water main under Paulina St from Ainslie St to Winnemac Ave. This project is tentatively scheduled for 2024 but no clearer timeline has been set.