Chicago City Wire

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Chicago Department of Water Management (DWM) have initiated the 2024 paving season in collaboration with 13th Ward Alderman Marty Quinn. The commencement of this year's repaving efforts, also known as milling operations, took place on the southwest side of the city. CDOT has set a target to resurface 150 miles of arterial and residential streets throughout the year.

CDOT Commissioner Tom Carney said, “The City of Chicago is hitting the ground running this construction season and residents will start to see paving projects happening throughout the city. These investments are critical to not only maintain our infrastructure, but also for creating a safe, accessible, and well-maintained transportation system. We are coordinating closely across departments and agencies to minimize disruptions and efficiently deliver improvements to all Chicago communities.”

Crews have started work on a federally funded resurfacing project on 63rd Street between Harlem Avenue and Melvina Avenue. This comprehensive project includes roadway resurfacing, utility trench repairs, addressing standing water issues, and enhancing pedestrian safety over a stretch of 1.25 miles. The upgrades comprise curb extensions, new signage, and pavement markings designed to increase pedestrian visibility and create safer transit corridors.

Alderman Quinn expressed his excitement about the project saying, “I am excited the 63rd Street resurfacing project is underway, and I thank 13th Ward residents for their patience. We prioritized pedestrian safety in this project, and I’m honored to partner with Commissioner Carney and the Department of Water Management to get this deteriorating road fixed for our local residents.”

This project marks the beginning of an extensive plan to resurface nearly 3.75 miles of 63rd Street between Harlem Avenue and Calumet Avenue this year. Other major arterial streets scheduled for upcoming resurfacing include Addison Street from Octavia Street to Luna Avenue (2.25 miles), Division Street from California to Kedzie (.5 miles), Homan Avenue from Roosevelt Road to Chicago Avenue (2 miles), Kedzie Avenue 51st Street to 63rd Street (1.5 miles), Taylor Street from Western Avenue to Racine Avenue (1.25 miles), and Western Avenue from Belmont Avenue to Foster Avenue (2.5 miles).

The City of Chicago's infrastructure departments collaborate closely with utilities to manage projects like repaving efficiently and limit their impact on residents.

Chicago Department of Water Management Commissioner Randy Conner stated, "We prioritize coordination with other utilities in order to minimize disruption and save money for our residents. DWM is committed to identifying efficiencies on all of our projects."

Through CDOT’s Project Coordination Office, the city's infrastructure departments and utilities have managed to reduce project conflicts that necessitate opening a street more than once. This coordination saved the city an estimated $20 million last year by reducing material wastage due to duplication, following the review and coordination of over 10,000 projects and permits across over 800 coordination corridors.