WORKING FOR YOU
Downtown Traffic Impacts
42nd Ward Street Closures and Construction Notices
Street Sweeping
During street sweeping season (April 1 to mid-November) the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation uses mechanical street sweepers to remove debris and litter from streets, weather permitting. Throughout the season, DSS deploys mechanical street sweepers at regularly scheduled times to clear debris from Chicago streets. Starting this week, dozens of street sweepers have begun clearing the debris and leaves that have accumulated during winter months on both residential and arterial streets.
On weekdays, from 9am to 2pm, this Sweeper Tracker map will show real-time locations of city street sweepers. For more information, please review the 42nd Ward Map and street sweeping schedule. Residents can also call 311 to find the dates and locations of street sweeping in their area.
Please check for the bright orange signs announcing temporary parking restrictions. These signs are posted two days prior to scheduled street sweeping events. Some streets also have permanently posted signs that specify a once-per-week period when parking is prohibited for street sweeping.
Utility Work
Bally’s Utility Work – Grand Avenue:
To prepare for the new permanent Bally’s Casino, utility work will be completed on Grand Ave in River North. As a result of this construction, Grand Ave, between Union Ave and Kingsbury St, will be reduced to one lane in each direction. These closures will be in place until May 2026.
Tower Cranes & Helicopter Lifts
Crane Lift at 777 N Michigan
From Friday, March 6 – Sunday, March 8, a crane lift is scheduled to take place at 777 N Michigan Ave. As a result, several nearby streets, including portions of Michigan Ave and Chicago Ave, will be closed to vehicular traffic. Additionally, the sidewalk on the east side of Michigan Ave between Chicago Ave and Superior St will be closed to pedestrians. For a full list of the street closures, see below:
- Friday, March 6, 2026
- Approximately 9:00 PM: Crane arrives on site and permitted operations begin
- Michigan Avenue will be closed between Chicago Avenue and Superior Street
- Crane assembly will progress northbound and will require the jib to cross Chicago Avenue
- Full closure of Chicago Avenue at the Michigan Avenue intersection is anticipated between 12:00 AM and 5:00 AM on Saturday, March 8
- Saturday, March 7, 2026
- After crane erection is complete, Chicago Avenue will reopen to traffic
- Hoisting operations will begin at approximately 6:00 AM and are expected to conclude around 6:00 PM
- The crane will remain on site overnight and will be fully barricaded between Superior Street and Chicago Avenue
- Sunday, March 8, 2026
- Crane dismantling will resume at 7:00 AM
- Temporary closure of Chicago Avenue at Michigan Avenue will again be required from 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- The crane is expected to be fully removed from the site by approximately 5:00 PM, at which time all streets will be reopened to normal traffic flow
Bridges and Street Reconstruction
Lake Street Bascule Bridge Construction Update
Work continues on the Lake Street Bascule Bridge. The sidewalk on the southwest corner of the bridge will remain closed until summer 2026.The Lake Street Bascule Bridge is expected to re-open by spring 2028. For the detour map, click here (note: the Canal St detour listed is no longer in effect).
Canal St Reconstruction
Canal St is currently undergoing reconstruction. Stage 2 of the project will begin again soon, and the east half of Canal St between Adams and Madison will be blocked, and parking on Canal between Adams and Madison will be prohibited. Two lanes on the west side of Canal St will be maintained for northbound traffic. These closures will last until late 2026. Pedestrian traffic will be maintained on the west side of Canal St. Taxis and rideshares will be directed to follow the guidelines listed here. Please click here for a flyer of the impact to vehicle and pedestrian access, and click here for the affected CTA bus routes.
State St Bridge, Chicago Ave Bridge, Lake St Bridge
As reported in a past Reilly Report, construction continues on several downtown bridges, and Alderman Reilly has expressed his frustration with CDOT for a lack of coordination and planning. The State Street Bridge will re-open temporarily for the Shamrock Shuffle on March 22 and will re-open permanently in spring 2026. The approximate completion date for the Chicago Avenue Bridge is January 2027, and the Lake Street Bridge will be completed by spring 2028.
Kennedy Expressway Feeder Ramp
As reported in a previous Reilly Report, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is completing phase 3 of its work on the Ohio / Ontario Street Feeder Ramps. The project is anticipated to be completed in summer 2026. IDOT’s press release on these closures can be found here.
Developments
150 West Hubbard Street
In 2016, the City Council approved a Planned Development (PD) for a 19-story (235’ tall) Hyatt Andaz Hotel at 150 West Hubbard Street / 430 North LaSalle Street. The approved project included 196 hotel rooms and nearly 19,000 square feet of public food, beverage, and event space, including a rooftop bar. The development was intended for luxury travelers and long-stay guests, with no on-site parking due to the site’s proximity to public transit. Andaz locations are known for being a destination for weddings and corporate gatherings.
Based upon changed market conditions, the property owner is now seeking to amend the PD to revise the program for a new hotel concept. The proposed new hotel is designed for The Cloud One Hotel, a popular “affordable luxury” company, which operates nearly 100 locations in Europe.
The revised building was previously proposed as shorter (16 stories and 193 feet tall) with more and smaller rooms (341 keys), and eliminating all of the public event space, including the rooftop bar. After thorough review, Alderman Reilly directed the property owner to scale back the project. The project is now proposed with 297 rooms, and a further reduced height to 15 stories and 186 feet in height. Approximately 3,800 square feet of ground-floor restaurant space is proposed as the only commercial space in the building, and all outdoor spaces would be limited to hotel guests. No on-site parking is included in the amended plan. The revised plans, comparison images and traffic study can all be found here.
223 West Erie Street Type 1 Application
Concord Capital is proposing to adaptively reuse the existing building at 223 West Erie by converting its upper floors from office to residential use, while preserving the ground-floor retail. The project will create approximately 66 new rental apartments without altering the building’s height, footprint, or envelope. An on-site loading dock accessed from the public alley will be used to support the residential use. No zoning change is required. To allow the building to remain in its current form, the development team will seek a transit-served location parking reduction, to reduce the required rear yard setback, and other minor zoning relief. The building has been nominated for listing on the National Register of Historic Places as part of this redevelopment effort, which will deliver much-needed new housing to the area while preserving and ensuring the long-term sustainability of this historic resource.
These projects will be reviewed at an upcoming Chicago Plan Commission meeting, with subsequent approval required by City Council. As part of Alderman Reilly’s transparent community process for new developments, your comments and observations are welcome. Please click here to provide your feedback on 42nd Ward developments.