Alderman Tom Tunney - 44th Ward Chicago

Alderman Tom Tunney
44th Ward
Seal_of_Chicago

News

Barry Natural Gas Pipeline Upgrades (Racine to Greenview/Lincoln)

Natural Gas Pipeline Upgrades Are Coming To Barry (Racine to Greenview/Lincoln)

Dear Customer,

Peoples Gas has been part of Chicago’s history for more than 165 years. We’re proud of our long-standing service to Chicago and all the homes and businesses we provide with natural gas.

We are in the midst of one of the nation’s largest efforts to replace much of the aging natural gas pipes in Chicago to allow us to continue to provide safe and reliable gas service.

We will be installing a large diameter main on Barry from Racine to Greenview/Lincoln starting Monday, October 26th. The amount of time required for installation varies block by block, depending on the technical requirements at each location, but installation could take between one and three months.

Before installation begins, we may need to replace the smaller diameter mains and services that deliver natural gas to your home or business. If that work is required on your block, we will send you separate notification about that process, including information about scheduling an appointment to mark the location of your service pipe and gas meter.

Once work begins, there will be parking restrictions on some streets in the area. Also, equipment and material will be stored on site due to the design and nature of the project. As the project progresses, temporary repairs will be made to streets, sidewalks and parkways until permanent restoration can be completed.

We are committed to working quickly and efficiently to minimize any disruption to you and your neighbors. We will contact you again closer to the time of construction to give you more information about what to expect. If you have questions regarding this project, please call customer service at 866-556-6001.

MAYOR LIGHTFOOT AND CDPH COMMISSIONER DR. ARWADY SOUND THE ALARM ON SECOND WAVE OF COVID-19

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2020

CONTACT:
Mayor’s Press Office
312.744.3334
press@cityofchicago.org

MAYOR LIGHTFOOT AND CDPH COMMISSIONER DR. ARWADY SOUND THE ALARM ON SECOND WAVE OF COVID-19
Cases, positivity rate and hospitalizations all on the rise over the past two weeks; City considering measures to reverse the increase, including renewed restrictions on businesses

CHICAGO – Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today joined Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) Commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D., to sound the alarm on the worrying trends across COVID-19 health metrics, including a significant rise in cases, positivity rate and hospitalizations. Over the past two weeks, cases have risen by more than 50%, to over 500 per day. This is the most cases per day seen in Chicago since late May, the tail-end of the pandemic’s first wave, and is coinciding with a worrying increase in hospitalizations, which are also up 25% for non-ICU COVID patients and suspected cases since September 22. To combat this second wave of COVID-19, Mayor Lightfoot is calling on all residents to wear masks and strictly limit social gatherings, even small ones. In a gathering of only 10 people, there is a 14% chance that someone is currently infected with COVID-19. To further fight the spread of COVID-19, the City is considering additional measures in the
coming days, including bringing back restrictions on businesses.

“The data is clear – we are now in a second surge of COVID-19 and I am extremely concerned,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “Now is the time to double down on what we know works and come together as a city to flatten the curve once again. Everyone must do their part to keep themselves and others safe and help us overcome this deadly disease.”

Over the last two weeks in particular, Chicago has seen an alarming increase across COVID-19 health metrics. While this increase has coincided with an increase in testing, with close to 11,000 tests now completed each day, the test positivity rate has also increased more than a percentage point to 5.2%. This indicates that the increase in testing does not fully explain the rise in cases. Furthermore, hospitalizations, a measure of severe outcomes which often lags behind an increase in cases, are up to 313 per day citywide. Deaths, too, usually lag an increase in cases  and hospitalizations, so City officials are expressing great concern over the possibility of a further increase. Over 3,000 Chicagoans have died from COVID-19.

“I’m deeply concerned about these trends and worried that we’ve got some COVID fatigue setting in where people are not following the public health guidance as they should. This virus doesn’t care who you are, it’s just looking to spread, and if we give it the opportunity to do so it will,” said Dr. Arwady. “Most troubling is the fact that COVID-19 continues to have a disproportionate impact on Black and Latinx individuals, and those with under-lying medical conditions. But we’re seeing a rise in cases across the city and across all races and ethnicities, so we all need to rededicate ourselves to combatting this epidemic.”

Mayor Lightfoot and Dr. Arwady are calling on all residents to recognize the seriousness of this second wave of COVID-19 and take the necessary personal steps to stem the tide. Specifically, all residents need to wear masks or face coverings anytime they are in a public space or unable to maintain six feet of social distancing. Furthermore, residents should avoid social gatherings, even small get-togethers. The more individuals that are a part of your “bubble”, the greater the risk of COVID19 transmission. In a gathering of ten people, there’s a 14% chance one person in that group has COVID-19.That means one out of every seven gatherings of ten people has COVID-19 present. This likelihood of someone having COVID-19 increases as gathering sizes grow – there is a 50% chance that someone in a gathering of 50 people has COVID-19. The majority of COVID-19 cases in Chicago are spread between people that know each other, so the best way to stem the tide is to avoid social gatherings and keep your bubble small.

To further fight the spread of COVID-19 and save lives, the City is prepared to take drastic but necessary steps in the coming days. This may include a rollback of COVID-19 reopening regulations for businesses, including potentially restricting capacity and limiting total gathering size and/or returning to Phase Three of the reopening framework.

“Chicago is at a critical moment in the ongoing fight against COVID-19,” said Dr. Nancy Glick of Sinai Health System’s Infectious Disease Division. “We have learned a great deal about this virus since the first surge, including what works to stop the spread. It is more important than ever to commit to those strategies – wearing a mask, limiting social gatherings and ultimately saving lives.” The significant increase of COVID-19 in Chicago corresponds with a second wave of the virus throughout the entire Chicagoland region, across Illinois, in other Midwestern states and throughout the country. As a reminder, the City’s Emergency Travel Order currently covers 26 states and territories, including Wisconsin and  Indiana. Chicagoans are urged not to travel to these states and territories, and if they do they are required to quarantine for 14 days upon their return, unless they are an essential worker traveling for business. For Wisconsin and Indiana, the Order applies to individuals coming from Wisconsin or Indiana to Chicago for non-work purposes and Chicago residents returning from Wisconsin or Indiana, unless they are deemed an essential worker. To learn more, visit chicago.gov/coronavirus.

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New Daily Parking Permits

New daily parking permits, which will be valid through 2021, will be available from our office on November 1st. Until then we will be selling passes that are valid until December 31st.

MAYOR LIGHTFOOT ANNOUNCES TWO WINS FOR CHICAGO’S RESTAURANT INDUSTRY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 8, 2020

CONTACT:
Mayor’s Press Office
312.744.3334
press@cityofchicago.org

 

MAYOR LIGHTFOOT ANNOUNCES TWO WINS FOR CHICAGO’S RESTAURANT INDUSTRY: DOORDASH’S $500K SUPPORT FOR WINTERIZATION AND THE
WINNERS OF THE WINTER DINING CHALLENGE WITH BMO HARRIS BANK ANDILLINOIS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION

DoorDash will provide financial support to help cover costs of winterizing outdoor dining; and Heated “Japanese-style” Tables, outdoor Block Party and Cozy Cabins came out as the top
winners of this first-ever winter design competition

CHICAGO – Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today announced two significant developments in support of Chicago’s restaurant community. First, in collaboration with the Illinois Restaurant Association (IRA), DoorDash will be providing $500,000 in financial support to Chicago restaurants to help cover the costs of winterizing their outdoor dining areas. Second, in partnership with BMO Harris Bank and the IRA, the Mayor also announced today the winners of the Winter Design Challenge – a first-ofits-kind competition for community members to reimagine the winter outdoor dining experience in Chicago. After receiving over 600 submissions, a team of judges that included architects, designers, chefs, restauranteurs and servers selected three ideas that not only capture the spirit of Chicago but can provide feasible and safe options for Chicagoans to enjoy dining out as temperatures drop.

The winners of the Winter Design Challenge are:

“As we approach the winter months and adapt our COVID-19 response accordingly, we owe it to our restaurants to make sure they have what they need to continue keeping their doors open and serving their communities,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “Thanks to IRA and the outstanding creativity of our Winter Dining Challenge winners, we will be able to not only make this a reality, but do soin a way that is safe and showcases our City’s innovative spirit. I extend a huge congratulations to each of our Winter Dining Challenge winners. Thanks also to DoorDash for investing in Chicago and its restaurants to assist them in continuing to serve Chicagoans this winter.”

Over the course of two weeks, 643 submissions were received on global design firm IDEO’s open innovation platform. After two preliminary rounds of reviews by IDEO and City departments, a final 26 submissions were chosen for the last round of the competition. The City and the IRA then fielded a set of judges with a range of perspectives from the restaurant industry and neighborhood associations. The 26 finalists were then evaluated based on a ration that assigned points for feasibility, innovation, cost efficiency, safety adherence and functionality of the idea.

“We are excited to have had the chance to reimagine our public spaces and provide Chicagoans an opportunity to experience the city in a fun and unique way. Chicago has always been a resilient city when faced with difficult times, said Neil Reindel. “With Block Party we wanted to provide a warm place for People to reconnect as we move forward through the winter and into 2021.”“We are honored that our concept was chosen for the Chicago Winter Dining Challenge. Our Cozy Cabins idea focused on creating a warm, welcoming experience to encourage Chicago residents to safely dine in rather than take out,” said Amy Young of ASD | SKY. “We wanted to create an outdoor destination centered around new experiences, neighborhood connections, and a sense of community—elements lost while dining at home. We hope this idea helps support small businesses and safely bring people together during this difficult year.”

The winners of the Winter Design Challenge will each receive a $5,000 cash prize. Additionally, the IRA will be selecting local construction firms that will start the process of bringing these ideas to life. The process will include design development and technical refinement. Once complete, the firms will be able to construct prototypes that can be tested at Chicago neighborhood restaurants in the coming weeks. The IRA will choose those pilot restaurants, and the construction will be paid for with funds that BMO Harris has previously contributed for this purpose.

“We expected that the Winter Design Challenge would attract many great ideas, but the number of unique, innovative suggestions was staggering,” said David Casper, Chair and CEO, BMO Harris Bank. “Supporting our superb restaurants here in Chicago is critical, and I know my BMO colleagues and I are looking forward to dining out throughout the winter.”

The winning designs and other outdoor options can be flexibly adapted for use by restaurants and bars throughout the City in sidewalk cafes, outdoor patios or through the new Expanded Outdoor Dining (EOD) Program that was created specifically to foster outdoor dining during the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, over 400 bars and restaurants have participated in the EOD program to operate in their parking lot, on the sidewalk or in closed streets, and they will have the opportunity to extend these permits to allow for continued operations during the fall and winter months.

“I want to thank the City of Chicago, IDEO and the Illinois Restaurant Association for choosing my winter dining idea,” said Ellie Henderson. “My hope is that my proposal for using heated tables will help restaurants adapt, providing a novel open-air dining experience for their patrons that is safe and comfortably warm through colder months in 2020 and beyond.”

The City has created clear guidelines for outdoor operations as the weather gets cooler. The implementation of the winning designs and other outdoor options must follow these guidelines, which provide clear directions for safe and responsible outdoor service. Restaurants and bars will not need to apply for a new sidewalk café or EOD permit to operate in the winter months, though they do need to ensure that their submitted site plans reflect heating and structure elements. To make it easier for bars and restaurants to continue operating safely and successfully, the City is allowing temporary tents on the public right of way for the first time and temporarily extending the length of tent permits that are typically issued for 60 days to now last 180 days.

To help restaurants and bars operate outside, the City will be holding webinars next week on safe outdoor operations. To register and learn more, visit www.chicago.gov/businesseducation.

In addition to the City’s commitment to supporting restaurants and bars, DoorDash, today announced a new $2 million grant program to help restaurants in select cities prepare for winter and continue to serve customers during colder weather. DoorDash, together with the Illinois Restaurant Association and Mayor Lightfoot, is proud to announce $500,000 in grants for Chicago-area local restaurants as part of DoorDash’s Main Street Strong initiative to help restaurants recover and succeed amidst COVID-19 related challenges.

“Our city’s restaurants are finally starting to move forward, and we have to help them maintain that momentum,” said David London, Head of U.S. East & Federal Government Relations at DoorDash. “DoorDash is deeply committed to supporting our restaurant partners and the communities we serve. This initiative will provide critical financial support to keep restaurants going through the cold weather, and we’re appreciative of the City and IRA’s shared support.”

As winter weather looms on the horizon, Chicago area restaurants will be able to apply to receive a $5,000 grant to defray winterization expenses such as the cost of heating equipment, additional safety materials to improve indoor dining, upgrades for air filtration systems, bulk orders of blankets for patrons, and more. Applications open on October 16, and recipients will be notified by the end of December. To qualify, restaurants must be located in Chicago with three or fewer locations operating currently, 50 employees or fewer in 2019, and $3M or less in 2019 annual revenue per store. Restaurants can find full details and the application on the Hello Alice website beginning October 16th here.

Read more about DoorDash’s efforts to help restaurants adapt to winter temperatures on the DoorDash blog.

While three winners were chosen for the Winter Dining Challenge, there were many other ideas that would also create options for outdoor dining during the winter. The top 60 ideas have been compiled and is available by clicking here. To learn more about the Winter Dining Challenge and see all of the submissions, click here.

 

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Download this Press Release

North Lake Shore Drive Study Public Input Opportunity

Help us continue to improve North Lake Shore Drive!

Let your voice be heard! The Illinois Department of Transportation and the Chicago Department of Transportation invite you to provide feedback concerning the improvement of U.S. 41 (North Lake Shore Drive) from Grand Avenue to Hollywood Avenue in Chicago. Since the last public meeting, the project team has evaluated criteria and narrowed the range of alternatives. We want to hear from you! Due to ongoing health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, this Public Meeting (#4) will be conducted online through an interactive website. There are multiple opportunities to provide feedback!

 

Interactive Website 

We have created a clearinghouse of materials, interactive exhibits, and an audio-visual presentation to provide a refresher on the project and help you review project updates. The interactive site is live:

NLSDinput.org

Input can be provided through the interactive website in multiple ways:

  • Use the interactive map to comment and provide input on the proposed improvements
  • Complete a survey to tell us how you use the Drive and lakefront and share your priorities
  • Review the project exhibits and leave notes in the comment area
  • Sign up for a small group discussion with the project team (time slots are still available and registration is open until October 12)

Virtual Public Meeting Flyer (English) 

Virtual Public Meeting Flyer (Spanish) 

Written comments can be submitted through the interactive website, project website, or mailed to the project team. Comments received by November 9, 2020 will become part of the official public meeting record.

Sincerely,

The North Lake Shore Drive Project Team

 

Please stay up to date with the project with the social media links below and our website: www.NorthLakeShoreDrive.org

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