Alderman Bennett Lawson - 44th Ward Chicago

Alderman Bennett Lawson
44th Ward
Seal of Chicago

Articles under Infrastructure/Construction Notice

Verizon/MCI-Worldcom @ Addison & Racine

Verizon will be installing fiber optic cables and associated equipment at Addison and Racine in the coming weeks starting Wednesday November 7, 2018. These improvements will enhance the speed and dependability of wireless communications in the area.

Type of Construction:
The fiber optic cables will be installed underground (within right-of-ways) using directional boring, in order to minimize damage to the right-of-ways as well as some open cut trenching. There will also be installation of two (2) communication manholes, one (1) quazite box and the replacement of a light pole and foundation. After installation, splicing will be performed to complete the project. In the event that pedestrian or vehicle traffic needs to be altered to accommodate construction equipment, barriers and signage will be installed to ensure the safety of those in the area.

Any disturbed areas will receive an immediate temporary restoration solution, with a permanent restoration to previous or better condition to be performed later.

Impacted Area:
Construction will start in the side walk at the south west corner of W Addison St and N Racine Ave and continue in the side walk to the first alley south of W Addison St. From there we will head west in the alley until terminating at N Lakewood Ave. Our installation crews will make every effort to maintain alley and garage access at all times during the project.

Parking Restrictions:
No parking signs will be posted along the following boundaries and will be in affect during construction hours:

  • 3450-3605 N Racine Ave – East and West side
  • 1154-1225 W Addison – North and South side
  • 3552-3539 N Lake wood Ave – East side

Work Hours:
9:00 am till 4:00 pm (Monday through Friday)

Project Duration:
November 7th to November 21st. 5 days for construction, 2 days for concrete restoration, and 2-3 days for paving.

Project Contacts:
Meade Electric Co., Inc. (contractor) – Chris Hanlon 773-447-6627
Ledcor (Construction Manager) – Jordon Woodall 312-989-0459
Verizon/MCI-WORLDCOM(ATS) – Oscar Guerrero, 312-453-8130

Construction Area Overview:

 

 

 

Chicago Department of Water Management Announces Plans to Explore Lead Service Line Replacement

CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF WATER MANAGEMENT
ANNOUNCES PLANS TO EXPLORE LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT
Chicago stays at forefront of water quality efforts
Over past two decades, Chicago has reduced the percentage of children with elevated blood levels of lead from 25 percent to less than one percent – the key health measure for lead

 

Continuing Chicago’s proactive approach on the issue of lead, the Chicago Department of Water Management (DWM) announced that it is commissioning a report to determine the feasibility and framework of what would be a multi-billion dollar program to potentially replace lead service lines – the pipes that connect water mains to single family and two-flat homes – across the city. The report will develop a step-by-step phased replacement program, review industry practices, investigate available technology and assess funding options, including potential federal and state funding sources.

“The safety of Chicago’s water is our top priority; Chicago’s water consistently meets or exceeds all standards set by the U.S. EPA, Illinois EPA and drinking water industry,” said DWM Commissioner Randy Conner. “Not only will this report ensure that Chicago remains a leader in water quality efforts, the report will help Chicagoans continue to have a high degree of confidence in their water.”

DWM has engaged CDM Smith, a global engineering firm, to evaluate the total cost and multiple factors involved in replacing lead service lines.

Lead service lines are the pipes connecting water mains to homes. They are owned by and located on a homeowner’s property and are traditionally found in older single family and two-flat homes built before 1986. Addressing this legacy infrastructure problem would make Chicago the largest city in the nation to explore a complete lead service line replacement program, which would likely cost several billion dollars over multiple decades.

Once complete in the spring, the firm will present a report containing recommendations tailored to Chicago that would facilitate the replacement of lead service lines. CDM Smith has expertise in this field, and is the primary consultant for lead service line replacement projects in other cities.

This report will build on Chicago’s strong record of being a leader in water quality and in addressing the issue of lead for children, who are the most vulnerable to its health effects.

Chicago’s fight against children’s lead exposure has significantly reduced the percentage of children with elevated blood levels of lead – the key health measure for lead. Today, less than one percent of children develop elevated lead levels as compared to 25 percent in the late 1990s. Since 2016, CDPH has offered water testing when conducting inspections for children with elevated lead levels. Of those tested, no child with an elevated blood level lived in a home where the water had elevated lead levels. The city’s water also meets or exceeds all state and federal standards for lead, and passed its U.S. EPA review last month.

“The city’s work to address lead based paint hazards in recent decades has led to a significant reduction in the percentage of children with elevated blood lead levels,” said CDPH Commissioner Julie Morita, M.D., who noted the primary cause of elevated blood lead levels in children is lead-based paint. “Even with this progress, we are committed to continuing our efforts to protect the public from exposure to lead.”

The city also provided an update on another ongoing study related to water quality. In 2016, DWM launched a first-of-its kind study to determine the possible impact of water main construction and meter installation on water quality because no comprehensive scientific study had previously explored the topic.

While the study is ongoing, preliminary data indicates that the water main replacement program is not producing large changes in lead concentrations. As such, no changes are warranted to the city’s 10 year capital plan to replace century-old water mains and aging sewer mains that is in progress.

Additionally, the ongoing study is examining the possible impact of water meter installation on water quality. Preliminary data from a small sample size indicates that meter installation may raise lead levels in a portion of homes, though more than 80 percent of homes tested in the study did not have lead levels above the EPA action level after the installation of a meter. The sampling approach taken in the study is more rigorous than the sampling used for EPA testing, and again, Chicago passed its regular water quality review by the EPA last month.

More study is needed to analyze the relationship between water meter installation and lead levels, as the increase may not be related to the meter. For example, these homes may have higher lead levels because of low water usage, which would mean the protective phosphate coating isn’t sufficiently covering the home’s lead service lines and preventing that lead from entering the water.

While initial data shows that 82.8 percent of the 296 homes in the meter portion of the study did not have an increase in water lead levels after meter installation, the city will take several actions out of an abundance of caution. Going forward, residents must provide informed consent and agree to before and after testing in order to have a meter installed. Further, homes getting a meter going forward will be given a free water filter set that includes a pitcher and six filters to use since test results will not be instantaneously available. DWM will also be contacting residents who have had a meter installed previously to notify them that they have the option of requesting a water filter set, starting with the most recent installations first and working backward. In addition, any household that previously tested above the EPA action level will also receive a water filter set free of charge.

As was the case previously, flushing the system – or running water continuously for at least five minutes after not using water for six hours– is encouraged for those concerned about lead levels, as studies show that in almost every case, flushing for at least five minutes provides virtually lead-free water that comes directly from the water main. Flushing should be done prior to using water for drinking or cooking, and residents may already flush without realizing it, as ways to flush include taking a shower, washing clothes or running the dishwasher. Additionally, as has long been the case, any resident may call 311 to request that their water be tested for free. If any residence tests over the EPA action level, DWM immediately notifies the resident and sends a plumber, sanitary engineer and an electrician to investigate a number of possible contributing factors and create a mitigation plan for the homeowner. The results of all tests are posted online at www.chicagowaterquality.org, with homeowners’ identifying information removed.

Halsted ADA Improvements (Aldine to Addison)

Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) Construction Notice:

Halsted St. from Aldine to Addison ADA Ramp Improvement Project

  • All non-ADA compliant crosswalks within the corridor will be upgraded to ADA compliant crosswalks.
  • Several crosswalks will include curb extension and additional sidewalk areas to improve pedestrian visibility and reduce crossing distance to make the crosswalks safer for all users.
  • All traffic lanes will remain open to vehicular traffic during construction. Parking restrictions will be posted at location when work is occurring.
  • The construction work will consist of removing the existing curb and sidewalk at intersection corners and installing new concrete curb, gutter and sidewalk.
  • Work along the east side of Halsted St. will begin on Thursday, November 1st and be completed by Friday, November 9th.
  • Work on the west side of Halsted St. will begin once the east side is complete, and be completed by Wednesday, November 21st.
  • Contact CDOT field representative John Fawcett at (630)244-9957 with any questions or Dan Manoli with the 44th Ward at (773)525-6034.

Locations being improved:

W.O.W. Construction on Belmont from Halsted to Clark

Electrical Conduit Construction (ECC) will be installing fiber optic cables and associated equipment on behalf of Wide Open West (WOW) on Belmont from the alley east of Halsted to the southwest corner of  Clark and Belmont. These improvements will enhance the speed and dependability of wireless communications in the area.

Type of Construction:
The fiber optic cables will be installed underground (within right-of-ways) using directional boring, in order to minimize damage to the right-of-ways as well as some open cut trenching and the installation of one manhole structure. After installation, splicing of wires/lines will be performed to complete the project. In the event that pedestrian or vehicle traffic needs to be altered to accommodate construction equipment, barriers and signage will be installed to ensure the safety of those in the area.

Any disturbed areas will receive an immediate temporary restoration, with a permanent restoration to previous or better condition to be performed later.

Impacted Area:
Construction will start in the alley east of N. Halsted and continue west on to W. Belmont, through the N. Halsted and W. Belmont intersection, into the south sidewalk of W. Belmont to the southwest corner of W. Belmont and N. Clark. While crews are working in the south sidewalk, pedestrians will be directed to use the north sidewalk of W. Belmont at N. Halsted and N. Clark to travel east and west on W. Belmont.

Parking Restrictions:
No parking signs will be posted along the following boundaries and will be in between 7:00a.m. and 5:00p.m. (Monday through Friday):

  • 736 – 758 W Belmont – North side
  • 801 – 841 W Belmont – South Side
  • 3202 – 3204 N Halsted – West Side
  • 3174 – 3178 N Clark – West Side

Work Hours:
9:00 am till 4:00 pm (Monday through Friday)

Project Duration:
October 16, 2018 through November 16, 2018
Restoration – November 12, 2018 – November 16, 2018

Project Contacts:
Electric Conduit Construction (contractor) – 224-80-0271

Construction Area Overview:

44th Ward Alderman Tunney Joined by Commissioners of CDOT, DWM and Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities to Highlight Infrastructure Improvements Along Inner Lake Shore Drive

Mike Claffey    312.744.0707 | Michael.Claffey@cityofchicago.org

Susan Hofer    312.742.2006 | Susan.Hofer@cityofchicago.org

Alderman Tom Tunney (44th Ward) was joined today by Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld, Department of Water Management (DWM) Commissioner Randy Conner and Commissioner Karen Tamley of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) at an event to highlight infrastructure and safety improvements in the 44th Ward, including the installation of Accessible Pedestrian Signals at Roscoe Street and Inner N. Lake Shore Drive that make it safer for people who are visually impaired to cross the street.

“This is a great day for the 44th Ward when we get to celebrate the completion of a series of transportation infrastructure investments that will improve quality of life and safety for our residents,” Alderman Tunney said. “I especially want to thank all the 44th Ward residents who have had to bear with us during the construction process. This was a coordinated effort involving multiple projects that will improve transportation options for everyone getting around within the 44th Ward.”

The event occurred just days after CDOT reopened all lanes on N. Lake Shore Drive at LaSalle Drive near North Avenue after work was completed on an accelerated bridge repair project, as well as the resurfacing of N. Lake Shore Drive from Grand Avenue to Monroe Street.  The 44th Ward event highlighted four projects that were recently completed by the administration of Mayor Rahm Emanuel:

  1. Completion of a Neighborhood Greenway that provides a 1.5 mile, low stress route for people on bikes and on foot from Lincoln Avenue to the lake front; the eastbound bike route is along School Street and Aldine Avenue, the westbound bike route is along Roscoe Street and feeds into the Lake Front Trail via the underpass under LSD.
  2. An arterial resurfacing project on Inner LSD from Belmont Avenue to Stratford Place.
  3. Five major water main repairs between Aldine Avenue and Hawthorne Place.
  4. Installation of Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) at Roscoe Street and Inner LSD. An APS is a traffic signal that helps people who are visually impaired by communicating information about pedestrian timing in a non-visual format, such as audible tones or verbal messages.

“I’m very happy to be here with my colleagues to highlight this series of projects that we have recently completed in the 44th Ward,” CDOT Commissioner Scheinfeld said. “Under the administration of Mayor Emanuel, we’re building a New Chicago and we’re building a safer Chicago with projects like these in neighborhoods all across the City.”

Last year Chicago launched a Vision Zero Action Plan which outlines goals and strategies to reduce traffic crashes and eliminate serious injuries and fatalities on the City’s roadways by 2026. In order to achieve this goal, CDOT uses a Complete Streets approach to designing infrastructure improvements. This means that pedestrians come first in the hierarchy when designing roadway improvements, because people walking are the most vulnerable users of the right of way.  When safety enhancements are added for people walking and biking, it enhances safety for all users, including motorists.

“Since the Mayor launched the Building a New Chicago capital plan in 2011, we’ve been frequent visitors to the 44th Ward replacing more than 18 miles of water and sewer mains,” said DWM Commissioner Conner. “A stronger water infrastructure helps conserve water and lays the foundation for Chicago to grow.”

“Audible Pedestrian Signals are critical to the safe navigation of Chicago’s blind and low vision community,” said MOPD Commissioner Karen Tamley. “Today’s announcement also represents an important step forward in the city’s greater commitment to increased accessibility of our streets and sidewalks for all people with disabilities, residents and visitors alike.”

Roscoe and the Inner Drive is the eleventh intersection at which CDOT has installed such APS signals around the City. CDOT is working with the MOPD and other stakeholders to pick sites for additional APS signals.

Please use the link below to access the link directly from CDOT’s homepage:

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdot/provdrs/ped/news/2018/october/44th-ward-alderman-tunney-joined-by-commissioners-of-cdot–dwm-a.html

 

You can follow CDOT on digital media:

Twitter:  @ChicagoDOT/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CDOTNews
The web: www.chicagodot.org

Clark ADA Improvements (Diversey to Addison)

 

Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) Construction Notice:

Clark St. from Diversey to Addison ADA Ramp Improvement Project

  • All non-ADA compliant crosswalks within the corridor will be upgraded to ADA compliant crosswalks.
  • Several crosswalks will include curb extension and additional sidewalk areas to improve pedestrian visibility and reduce crossing distance to make the crosswalks safer for all users.
  • All traffic lanes will remain open to vehicular traffic during construction. Parking restrictions will be posted at location when work is occurring.
  • The construction work will consist of removing the existing curb and sidewalk at intersection corners and installing new concrete curb, gutter and sidewalk.
  • Work along the east side of Clark St. will begin on Thursday, October 18th and be completed by Thursday, November 1st.
  • Work on the west side of Clark St. will begin once the east side is complete, approximately November 1st, and be completed by Thursday, November 15th.
  • Contact CDOT field representative John Fawcett at (630)244-9957 with any questions or Dan Manoli with the 44th Ward at (773)525-6034.

Lake Shore Drive Repaving Project Reaches Major Milestone: Lane Configurations will Change as early as mid-day Thursday

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced that the North Lake Shore Drive repaving project between Monroe St. and Grand Ave. is ahead of schedule. Shortly after morning rush hour on Thursday, September 13, construction crews are expected to change traffic configurations on N. LSD.  Drivers should notice an improved commute as they will be driving on newly resurfaced lanes between Monroe St. and Grand Ave.

The new traffic pattern will re-open the inner two lanes of traffic in each direction and close the outer two lanes northbound and southbound.  Additionally, at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, the northbound exit ramp from LSD to Illinois St. and the southbound exit ramp to Randolph St. will be closed for repairs and resurfacing.  Also, at 7:00 p.m., DuSable Harbor parking will be restricted.  The northbound exit at Randolph St. and the ramp from Randolph St. to Lower LSD will remain open until work on the Illinois St. ramps is completed.  Once Illinois St. reopens, the Randolph St. ramps will be resurfaced. There may also be periodic closures of Lower LSD and Wacker Dr. to ensure worker and motorist safety if surface work requires extensive repairs.

CDOT is carrying out the work on an accelerated schedule with around the clock lane closures and crews working double shifts in order to complete the repairs as quickly and safely as possible, with a minimum amount of inconvenience for drivers. Currently, the project remains on schedule.

Once the mainline resurfacing is complete, motorists can expect periodic partial lane closures on LSD in both directions for pavement striping and punch list work on both projects. This work will take place during off peak times, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and overnight from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., weather permitting.

CDOT continues to encourage motorist to seek alternative routes or public transportation until the project is completed.

 

You can follow CDOT on digital media:

Twitter:  @ChicagoDOT
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CDOTNews
The web: chicagodot.org