Participatory Budgeting
Cast your ballot for the 2025 Participatory Budgeting until January 21st. Voters must live or go to school in the 47th Ward and be fourteen years or older. To vote, please fill out our short registration form. Once we verify that you qualify to vote, you will receive an email with a link to your ballot.
What is participatory budgeting? Every year, our office allocates up to $200,000 or two projects to infrastructure projects selected by the community. Initial project ideas are identified and workshopped by 47th Ward Youth Council members. In the past, residents have funded projects like new murals, bike lanes, water fountains, tree plantings, pickleball courts and more. You can view a full list of previous projects here.
What’s on the Ballot
Accessible Pedestrian Signals - Ashland and Winnemac ($100k)
This would fund the installation of Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) at each corner of the intersection of Ashland and Winnemac, providing auditory cues for crossing and pedestrian countdown signals where those don’t already exist.
This makes safer, more accessible streets for our visually impaired neighbors. This location was chosen due to the increased number of seniors in the area from the nearby Thorek Retirement Community.
Accessible Pedestrian Signals - Damen and Lawrence ($100k)
This would fund the installation of Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) at each corner of the intersection of Damen and Lawrence, providing auditory cues for crossing and pedestrian countdown signals where those don’t already exist.
This makes safer, more accessible streets for our visually impaired neighbors. This location was chosen due to the increased number of seniors in the area from the nearby Levy Senior Center.
Speed Feedback Signals by Schools - Lane Tech, Lake View, Coonley and St Ben’s ($84k)
This item would fund the installation of Speed Feedback Signals on major streets adjacent to 47th Ward schools. Studies indicate that speed feedback signs are effective at slowing 80% of drivers.
Students are more likely to face unsafe crossing conditions on these major streets. Exact locations are:
Addison between Western and Rockwell for Lane Tech HS,
Ashland between Irving Park and Belle Plaine for Lake View HS,
Irving Park between Leavitt and Oakley for Coonley Elementary and St Ben’s School
Raised Crosswalk - Hoyne & Lawrence for Vogle Park ($80k)
This item would fund the construction of a raised crosswalk across Hoyne just north of Lawrence. This location was chosen due to the level of pedestrian traffic to Vogle Park and its proximity to busy Lawrence Avenue.
Raised crosswalks work to improve pedestrian safety by raising pedestrians above ground level and increasing their visibility, as well as slowing traffic turning onto a residential street by acting as speed humps.
Raised Crosswalk - Irving Park & Campbell for Revere Park ($80k)
This item would fund the construction of a raised crosswalk across Campbell just south of Irving Park. This location was chosen due to the increased pedestrian activity at Revere Park and its proximity to busy Irving Park Road.
Raised crosswalks work to improve pedestrian safety by raising pedestrians above ground level and increasing their visibility, as well as slowing traffic turning onto a smaller street by acting as speed humps.
Temporary Sculpture Installations - Each 47th Ward neighborhood ($40k)
This item would fund the installation of art sculptures across the ward. Statues are procured on a temporary basis through the Chicago Sculpture Exhibit program, which works with artists to bring art to Chicago’s public way.
The cost of this item provides a stipend to the artists in return for a one year rental of the artwork. This ballot item would fund the installation of two sculptures (temporarily, for one year) in each of the 47th Ward’s five neighborhoods. Our office would work with local organizations and chambers of commerce to place the sculptures at convenient locations in each community area in the ward.
Photo is provided as illustrative example of Chicago Sculpture Exhibit’s works, but not necessarily the statue that would be installed.
common questions
+ How were projects selected?
All projects on the ballot are suggested and vetted by members of the 47th Ward Youth Council. This Council was first stood up by Alderman Martin after he was elected. It is made up of young residents of the ward between grades 8 and 12.
The Ward Office assisted Youth Council members in assessing the feasibility of each project and communicating with the relevant city agencies.
+ How are projects funded?
Projects are funded through Aldermanic Menu funds. All the projects listed on the ballot are feasible to the best of our knowledge, yet most require final approval from the City of Chicago or its sister agencies. Thus, while Alderman Martin pledges to request funding and advocate for the winning projects, he cannot guarantee that the government agencies will provide final approval to each and every project request.
Reasons that projects may not be approved include: interference with previously planned projects, legal restrictions, and policy decisions of the governmental entities. If a winning project cannot be implemented for any reason, Alderman Martin will use the allocated money to fund the next runner-up project that falls within the budget.
+ What is PB Chicago?
The PB Chicago City-Wide Steering Committee developed the rules and procedures for this process. The organization has been working with ward offices since 2012 to engage residents in the decision making process for how public dollars are spent in their communities. For a list of all members of the committee, visit www.pbchicago.org.