The 34th Ward office will be closed on Monday, October 12th.
Due to this City holiday, there will be no city refuse collection on Monday. If your regular garbage/recycling pick-up day is Monday, please keep your carts accessible Tuesday-Friday.
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Abbott 5K & Chicago Marathon Local Impacts
Sunday, October 10th & 11th
Best of luck to the 34th Ward neighbors running the Chicago Marathon & Abbott 5K this year! If you're hoping to cheer for the runners passing through our neighborhood, stop by Mary Bartelme Park starting at 8am on Sunday, October 11th for music and sign making on the Adams side of the park!
Street closures for the Abbot Chicago 5K will start at 6:30am on Saturday, October 10th, with parking bans starting at 1am Saturday. Streets in the Loop will be closed to traffic from 6:30am through 9:30am on Saturday. Click here for a list of closures.
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon will also cause extensive street closures throughout the entire 34th Ward on Sunday, October 11th. Please see below for the course map and click here for a complete list of street closures. All closures will begin at 6am Sunday, and parking restrictions on impacted streets will begin at 1am on Sunday. Please familiarize yourself with the street closures to avoid getting ticketed and towed.
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Columbus Day Parade parking restrictions & street closures
Parade steps off at noon on Monday, October 12
Staging will be on Wacker, from Wabash to Franklin
- Closures on Wacker will begin at 9:00am
- No Parking restrictions begin at 7:00am – both sides of the street
Parade will start at 12:00 noon, at Dearborn & Lake St. and proceed south to Jackson, where it will disband.
- Dearborn closures will begin at 10:00am
- All east/west streets will be closed starting at 11:00am.
- No Parking restrictions on Dearborn, Wacker to Van Buren and on all east/west streets leading to Dearborn will begin at 7:00am – both sides of the street
Disbanding area will be on Van Buren, from State to Franklin
- No Parking restrictions will begin at 7:00am – both sides of the street
All streets should be reopened by 3:00pm.
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Green and Pink Line Service Impacts
October 13-26, 2026
Due to ongoing Chicago Department of Transportation work to replace the Lake Street Bridge, Green and Pink Line service will be interrupted between Clinton and the Clark/Lake stations. This service interruption is scheduled to begin at 4am on October 13th and will conclude at 4am on October 26.
As part of this work, Milwaukee will be closed from Canal to Fulton between October 5th and October 30th.
Green Line trains will run in two sections:
- Green Line trains will make all stops between Harlem/Lake and Clinton stations with riders connecting to free bus substitutions between Clinton and Clark/Lake stations.
- Green Line trains will make all stops between Ashland/63rd or Cottage Grove and Loop stations with riders connecting to free bus substitutions between Clark/Lake and Clinton Stations. Trains will make all stops around the entire Loop, following the Orange Line direction and platforms.
Pink Line trains will connect to Blue Line-Racine station for connecting service to downtown:
- Pink line trains will make all stops between 54th/Cermak and Polk stations and then connect to Racine Station where riders will transfer to Blue Line trains for continuing service downtown.
- Pink Line riders going to/from Ashland, Morgan, Clinton stations or West Loop transfer to 9/X9 Ashland buses near either Polk or Racine stations or other north-south bus routes (free transfer when you tap).
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City Council Updates
At Monday's Committee on Finance, I voted in support of a $261 million settlement to be split between 17 plaintiffs in police misconduct lawsuits related to former CPD Detective Reynaldo Guevara. The significant liability these cases posed for the City was unknown, but the harm caused was not. Compared with past jury verdicts and the cost of years more in outside legal fees, the $261 million Guevara settlement is the right outcome for Chicago taxpayers.
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Early Voting is underway downtown!
You can now vote early for the November election at two downtown locations, 137 S. State St and 69 W. Washington. Through October 25th, the hours will be as follows:
- Monday through Friday - 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Saturday - 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Sunday - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
If you need to update your information or register to vote, you can do so at these sites (click here to learn more about accepted forms of ID).
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Loop Arts Fest
October 17th, 12pm-6pm
State Street from Madison to Jackson
From arts and culture organizations to local artists, food vendors, and Chicago businesses, Loop Arts Fest brings together a wide variety of Chicago creativity all along State Street.
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Every block offers something different to discover, see, and experience. With three blocks of programming, two stages of live entertainment and one headliner, there’s something happening throughout the festival.
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Serve as a Poll Worker for the November 3rd General Election!
The Chicago Board of Elections is seeking poll workers for the November 3, 2026 General Election, including bilingual election judges who speak Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Polish, Korean, and Tagalog. To learn more and apply, please visit the Chicago Board of Elections website.
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Help Keep Chicago Clean!
By picking up your trash and disposing of your recycling in the blue carts, you can take a big step toward making sure our streets, parks, schools, libraries, beaches, and businesses look their best. Find resources to help you become a cleanup champion here.
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VFW Scholarships
Apply by October 31, 2026
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is offering two scholarships for students. The Patriot's Pen scholarship is designated for students in grades 6 -8 and is an essay writing contest. The Voice of Democracy scholarship is designated for grades 9-12 and is an audio recorded essay.
Click the images below to learn more and apply.
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Green City Market - West Loop
Saturdays from 8am-1pm
900 W. Monroe
The West Loop Green City Market is open on Saturdays on Monroe from Peoria to Sangamon! Due to upcoming fall events in our community on Saturdays, we will not be tabling at the market for the rest of this season.
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Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Saturday office hours this summer, and keep an eye out in this newsletter for other upcoming events!
Green City Market brings dozens of local farmers and food producers to our neighborhood every Saturday from May to November. To see what vendors participate across Green City Market's locations, click here.
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South Loop Farmers Market
Printers Row Park, 632 S. Dearborn St
Saturdays from 9am-1pm
The South Loop Farmers Market is back at Printers Row Park for another season! Stop by on Saturdays through October 31 to support local businesses and connect with neighbors.
Daley Plaza Farmers Market
50 W. Washington
Thursdays from 7am-2pm
Visit Daley Plaza on Thursdays from 7am-2pm for the Daley Plaza Farmers Market! This market hosts a variety of vendors, with offerings from fresh produce to prepared foods and more.
The Farmer at the Green
The Green at 320, 320 S. Canal
Tuesdays from 11am-3pm
The Farmer at the Green opens for another season at 320 S. Canal on June 2nd! This season runs until September 29 and brings over 25 local vendors selling seasonal produce, fresh floral arrangements, handmade goods, and artisanal products.
Chicago Vegan Farmers Market
Skinner Park, 1331 W. Monroe
Fridays, 4-8pm
Visit Skinner Park for the City's only all-vegan farmers market, beginning this Friday and running through September 25th! For updates on the market, visit their Instagram.
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Know Your Rights Resources
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Turn Lights Off to Protect Migratory Birds
Every spring and fall, millions of birds travel through the Chicago area. For more than two decades, Chicago has been a leader in light reduction efforts to protect these migratory birds. Please join participating buildings and turn lights off after 11 p.m. until daylight during migration and help save birds.
To learn more, visit the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors' website.
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West Loop Historic Plaques Project
The West Loop is steeped in history. In fact, we have 19 historical designations, four historic plaques, and one Chicago Landmarks plaque.
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Four more historic plaques are coming to the West Loop in 2026, including a UIC classroom, a condo building, and two parks!
To see the rest of the designations, please visit Connie Fairbanks' website.
If you live in a historic building in The West Loop and have historical information about your building you would like to share, please reach out to Connie to learn the process of installing your very own historic plaque!
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CAPS Meetings
Please join my team at upcoming CAPS meetings with the 1st and 12th Police Districts. CAPS (Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy) meetings are a great opportunity to meet with police, neighbors, and my team about local safety initiatives. To find your beat, click here. I hope you can join us at these meetings!
Next week, there are three beat meetings in the 12th District:
- Beat 122: Wednesday, October 14, 5pm
- Beat 124: Wednesday, October 14, 6pm
- Beat 1214: Wednesday, October 14, 7pm
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Camera Registration Program
When a crime occurs, Police Officers and Detectives canvass the area looking for evidence to determine what occurred. Video footage can greatly assist in their efforts.
If you have a private security camera that captures the public way and you are interested in assisting in an investigation in the event of a crime in your neighborhood, you can register your camera with the Chicago Police Department.
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By registering your camera, you are simply allowing the Chicago Police Department to contact you in the event of a crime in your area. CPD will not have direct access to your camera system and cannot access camera footage without your consent. This is a free and voluntary program. Learn more on the program website.
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34th Ward Infrastructure Improvements
All dates subject to change based on weather.
With any questions about planned infrastructure improvements, please email bill@ward34.org or call 312-744-6820.
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Street Resurfacing Projects
- 900 block of S. Carpenter - completed
- W. Polk St., from S. Wells to S. Financial - completed
- W. Quincy, from S. Desplaines to end of street - completed
- W. Rundell, from S. Morgan to S. Aberdeen - completed
- W. Marble, from S. Dearborn to S. Clark - TBA
- W. Warren, from N. Desplaines to end of street - completed
- N. May, from W. Madison to W. Washington - completed
- W. Gladys, from S. Racine to S. Throop - scheduled to begin 10/6
- S. Throop, from W. Congress to W. Harrison - scheduled to begin 10/6
Stamped Crosswalks
- W. Taylor & S. Carpenter - completed
- W. Taylor & S. Aberdeen - Fall 2026
- W. Taylor & S. Miller - Fall 2026
- W. Taylor & S. May - Fall 2026
Alley Improvement Projects
- N/S alley bounded by Adams, Jackson, Wabash to State - completed
- N/S alley bounded by Arthington, Taylor, Carpenter to Aberdeen - completed
- N/S alley bounded by Lake, Jefferson, Fulton to Desplaines - completed
New Alley Reconstruction Project
- E/W alley bounded by Lytle, Ada, Lexington to Flournoy - completed with punch list items to follow
Curb & Gutter Improvement Projects
- 901 - 927 S. Aberdeen - completed
- 103 - 109 S. Aberdeen - completed (restoration from fiber optic)
- 231-241 S. Jefferson - under construction
- 1004 W. Tilden - under construction
- 110 -120 S. Sangamon - completed
Alley Apron Replacement Projects
- 929 S. Aberdeen - completed
- 14 N. Peoria - under construction
Sidewalk Projects
- 1167 W. Madison - completed
- 1221 S. Wabash - completed
- 125 S. Sangamon - completed with punch list items to follow
Bump Out Installation
- W. Polk & S. LaSalle - completed
- W. Polk & S. Financial - completed
- S. Jefferson & W. Tilden - under construction
- W. Adams & S. Peoria - scheduled to begin in October
Residential Lighting Projects
- 1200 & 1300 blocks of W. Flournoy - new poles installed - punch list items to follow
- 1000 & 1100 blocks of W. Polk St. - all poles will be installed by the end of next week, with restoration to follow.
CDOT Electrical Improvement Projects
- W. Tilden, from S. Desplaines to S. Canal - currently in progress
- S. Jefferson, from W. Jackson to W. Tilden - currently in progress
- W. Van Buren, from S. Desplaines to S. Canal - currently in progress
Speed Indicator Signs
- S. Loomis, from W. Congress Pkwy. to W. Harrison (CWLA request) - coming Fall 2026
- S. Wells, from W. Harrison to W. Polk - coming Fall 2026
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State/Lake Station Closure
On Monday, January 5th, the State/Lake elevated station closed for demolition and the construction of a new, fully accessible station. The new station is expected to be finished in 2029.
- Southbound State Street remains closed from Wacker Drive to Randolph Street for underground utility repairs along with upcoming foundation removals and steel renovations in the intersection. The closure will remain in place throughout the year.
- Lake Street between Dearborn Street and Wabash Avenue remains closed. Follow marked detours in the area.
Local business and driveway access on State Street will be maintained during the closures, and at least one sidewalk will be open at all times for pedestrians. The underground CTA Red Line train station at Lake will remain open.
Upcoming Key Work Activities in 2026:
- Water main replacement on Lake Street.
- Retention system installation on State Street.
- Caisson installation on Lake Street.
- Micro-pile installation on Lake Street.
- Structural steel bent reconstruction on Lake Street.
These activities may result in louder noise and some vibrations in the area. Visit the project website to learn how the team is working to reduce these impacts.
Please note, all work is weather dependent.
To learn more about construction at the State/Lake station and local impacts, visit the CTA's website.
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Work is underway for the Canal Street Viaduct reconstruction.
Canal – Adams to Madison
Preparatory work will begin Monday night, October 12, 2026, with nighttime noise expected starting that evening. The first weekend of viaduct demolition will run from Friday night, October 16, through early Monday morning, October 19, beginning at Madison Street and progressing south. Work will continue during daytime and nighttime hours on weeknights and weekends for the remainder of the project.
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Stage 1B will be implemented on Monday October 12, 2026. Traffic updates include:
- Northbound Canal Street will be reduced from two lanes to one.
- Monroe Street eastbound traffic will be maintained with one left-turn lane and one through lane.
- The south pedestrian crosswalk at Madison Street will be closed.
- The northeast sidewalk at Adams Street will be closed.
- Pedestrian access will remain open on the west side of Canal Street.
If you have any questions, please email the project email address at CDOTCanalProjects@gmail.com.
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Lake Street Bascule Bridge Rehabilitation
Closure started on 10/6
The full street and sidewalk closure on the Lake Street Bascule Bridge is in effect and will last until January 2028. During the closures, access to nearby buildings and residences will be maintained for both pedestrians and vehicles.
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Eastbound traffic will be rerouted south on Des Plaines, east on Washington, north on Franklin, and east onto Lake St. Westbound traffic will be rerouted south on Wacker, west on Madison, north on Jefferson, and west onto Lake St. Click here for the full detour map. The work on the Lake Street Bascule Bridge is expected to be completed in January 2028.
- October 13–26: Crews will remove the existing west bridge leaf and install the pre assembled replacement leaf. This phase of work requires a continuous 24-hours-per-day, seven-days-per-week construction operation throughout the shutdown period.
- CTA Green and Pink Line service: CTA Green and Pink Line service will be suspended between Clinton and Clark/Lake Stations for the full duration of the bridge-leaf replacement work, beginning October 13 and continuing through 4:00 am on October 26. The service interruption will be in effect 24 hours a day throughout the shutdown period, not only during daytime construction hours.
- October 5–31: Milwaukee Avenue will be closed to vehicles between Lake Street and Fulton Street to stage construction materials and equipment before and during the bridge-leaf replacement operation.
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Ashland/I-290 Expressway Viaduct Work
Traffic management is currently being implemented on Ashland Av from Flournoy St to Jackson St to facilitate the reconstruction of the west side of the Ashland Ave bridge.
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The project is anticipated to be significantly completed by October 2026.
The contractor is working on the reconstruction of the medians located north and south of the Ashland Ave bridge. The contractor is using daily lane closures to perform the remaining work on Ashland Ave within the project limits.
For road construction updates and general travel information please visit IDOT’s Getting Around Illinois website.
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The City of Chicago and Cook County are hiring! View their respective job posting sites below:
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Trick or Treat for Tots
Friday, October 30th, 3-6pm
Madison from Elizabeth to Morgan
Join WCA for Trick or Treat for Tots on Friday, October 30 from 3–6 PM along Madison Street!
Families are invited to dress up in their Halloween best and enjoy an afternoon of trick-or-treating along Madison Street from Elizabeth Street to Morgan Street.
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Events at the National Hellenic Museum
333 S. Halsted
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The Odyssey Reimagined
Thursdays-Sundays, 10am-4pm
The exhibition brings together contemporary artists to interpret the enduring themes of Homer’s nearly 3,000-year-old Odyssey through painting, sculpture, photography, textiles, and sound. Each generation has returned to the story from a different place and perspective, and these artists are continuing that tradition, inviting us to do the same.
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Homerathon
October 29, 12:30-8:00pm
October 30, 10:00 AM-4:00pm
Take your part in the epic journey of The Odyssey and join NHM for Homerathon, in partnership with UIC Chicago’s Department of Classic and Mediterranean Studies, to bring Homer’s timeless tale to life, read aloud from beginning to end.
Sign up to read a passage or simply stop by to listen as the story unfolds.
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Events at Old St. Pat's
WTTW Chicago Stories: Home of the Irish Sneak Peek
Sunday, October 18, 10:15–11:15 a.m.
625 W. Adams St., Fellowship Hall, First Floor
FREE EVENT — RSVP REQUIRED
Please join WTTW and Old St. Patrick’s Church for a special sneak peek of Chicago Stories: Home of the Irish, one of four new Chicago Stories programs premiering this fall across all WTTW platforms.
Chicago Stories: Home of the Irish explores the rich and colorful history of the Irish in Chicago and the community’s deep connection to and expression through Old St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.
The event will feature a conversation with Eddie Griffin, producer and writer of Home of the Irish, and Father Pat McGrath, pastor of Old St. Patrick’s Church.
Home of the Irish offers an opportunity to discover how Irish immigrants helped transform Chicago from a frontier town into an industrial giant and shaped the city’s labor unions, Catholic Church, and local government.
Free parking is available at 625 W. Adams St., directly across the street from Old St. Pat’s Church.
Register: WTTW Chicago Stories: Home of the Irish Registration
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Volunteer with Hope's Table!
The Hope’s Table ministry is designed to serve the needs of Chicagoans who are homeless or hungry and is sponsored by First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple.
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Saturday morning services typically include serving hot meals and food to go, distributing clothing, and connecting guests with legal support through DePaul University’s Neighborhood Legal Assistance Program. Grace Episcopal Church partners in many ways, most visibly by providing space at 637 S. Dearborn. To volunteer or donate, please contact their volunteer coordinator.
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Helping Cats Near You
4th Sunday of every month, 4pm - 6pm
Details here.
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Discuss how to help community cats through TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return), what to do with kittens, ongoing colony management, preventing nuisance issues and much more!
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