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June 7, 2026
Dear neighbors,
It has been quite the week in the ward and our hearts are heavy after multiple tragic events.
We are devastated to hear that Chef Isaac “Wavy” Bradley, the partner and Chef behind Stussy’s Diner was killed Friday morning in a mass shooting in Back of the Yards. He will be deeply missed and his legacy will live on. Our prayers are with the Stussy’s Diner family during this terrible moment.
Our community is also heartbroken by the death yesterday of Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) employee and 11th Ward resident Riley O’Neil in a tragic accident at 32nd and Halsted St. According to the Chicago Tribune report, “the cyclist [Mr. O’Neil] was traveling north on Halsted when the driver of a white sedan opened the car’s door. The cyclist swerved to avoid the door but still clipped it and was thrown to the street, sources said. A witness told the Tribune the cyclist was then run over by a large truck.”
Please join me in mourning Riley O’Neil, by all accounts a great public servant who was passionate about bike accessibility. We send our deepest condolences to his loved ones and to the members of our community who witnessed this horrible tragedy.
People of all ages in the 11th Ward travel by bike–whether for everyday transportation or recreationally. Making sure the streets are safe for all is a priority for our team. That's why I have made improvements to bike lanes since I have been in office, including working with CDOT to install protected bike lanes on 35th Street from Halsted to LaSalle, and protected lanes on 18th Street from Canal to Clark.
I commissioned a traffic study with CDOT for the area bound by Pershing to 29th and Halsted to Canal to address traffic calming on a larger scale and to evaluate the feasibility of a greenway on either Emerald or Union to give cyclists a safer route to travel north-south in the ward in this area. Already, we have installed numerous curb bumpouts and speed cameras throughout the ward in an effort to make our streets safer for all. My goal has always been to identify additional ways to make our streets safer for riders and pedestrians.
We are also working with CDOT on the next phase of the Smart Streets program, which Mr. O’Neil was working on. This plan would expand bike lanes on 35th Street from Halsted to Ashland. This program is still in the planning phase, and requires additional community engagement before it can be finalized. Additionally, my office is working with CDOT and the Secretary of State's office to disseminate information for everyone–drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike–on how to safely share the road. Motorists, please take care when driving through our community. Lower your speed, and always check over your shoulder for cyclists before opening your car door. A good way to do this is opening the car door with your right hand which causes your torso and head to naturally turn toward the window and the back of the car. This is called the “Dutch Reach” maneuver, which the City should be prioritizing in public education.
I have been in communication with CDOT Commissioner Cheaks since this incident, and will provide a full update on the timeline for the traffic study and potential next steps in the days ahead.
In happier news, it is Pride Month! We’ve come a long way, from being a country that dealt with the “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy in the military to being in a place where gay marriage is fully legalized. At the same time, hate crime cases against LGBTQ+ people in our city have increased recently, even as stats for some other groups went down. We still have work to do. The Pride Parade is the last Sunday of the month and a way to joyfully celebrate our wins.
Last week, we had our quarterly meeting at the Ramova Theater, you can watch a recording of that meeting here. In that meeting, we discussed the current state of infrastructure, public safety, economic development in the ward and began a conversation about Additional Dwelling Units (ADU) and the process that the 11th Ward is working to put in place to allow those who wish to build ADUs to do so in the ward. I invited interested residents to join a committee to help develop the process. If you are interested in being on this committee, please contact us via email at ward11@cityofchicago.org. My goal is to have a process in place by the fall.
Commissioner John P. Daley and I attended the last school mass for St. Jerome School on Friday. It was bittersweet for everyone, especially for the students and their families, many of whom are alumni too. The school has been serving the community for 104 years. Efforts are underway to establish an independent school under the same name and we hope they are successful. We will support these efforts in whatever way possible.
Many of our elementary school graduates walked the stage this week at the Ramova. Congratulations to all the students, teachers, and families! As your school year concludes, some of us are already looking forward to when CPS restarts on August 24, and some of us are ready for summer. Let’s have a safe and productive time!
Have a great first week of summer,
Nicole
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