Chicago City Wire

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) has announced the resumption of construction on the Milwaukee Avenue Roadway Reconstruction and Streetscape improvement project for the 2025 season. This project involves a complete reconstruction of Milwaukee Avenue from Belmont Avenue to Logan Square, aiming to create new public outdoor spaces and enhance safety for all road users. As part of this effort, several changes in traffic patterns will be implemented.

Starting Thursday, March 6, weather permitting, CDOT’s contractor will introduce a new traffic pattern at the Logan Square traffic circle. This change is intended to facilitate planned improvements, including a new pedestrian plaza on Milwaukee Avenue. Key changes include:

- The permanent closure of Milwaukee Avenue through Logan Square Park. The segment that bisects the park will no longer accommodate vehicle traffic. Instead, traffic will be rerouted around the circle in its current counter-clockwise direction during this stage of construction.

- Traffic circulating the Logan Square traffic circle will be redirected to outer lanes to establish a work zone for reconstructing inner lanes. Parking will not be allowed along select areas around the outer perimeter during this phase.

- The east (northbound) Kedzie service drive will close to through traffic at Logan just south of the circle. This block between Logan Boulevard and Linden Place will become two-way local-only traffic.

- Modifications to traffic signals include consolidating two existing signals into one temporary signal on Milwaukee's north side and reconfiguring others adjacent to the circle.

These changes are expected to take an entire day to implement, with additional short-term lane closures anticipated as crews adjust signals, lane striping, and barricades. Once in place, this temporary pattern is expected to last into summer.

Further adjustments begin Monday, March 10, also weather permitting, along Milwaukee Avenue between Diversey/Kimball and Kedzie. These changes support sidewalk replacement, curb and gutter replacement, conduit installation, and street light installation:

- Two lanes of traffic will shift to the north half of Milwaukee Avenue between Diversey/Kimball and Kedzie while work zones are established on the south half.

- Construction will progress from west to east until mid-summer before switching focus to construct the north half.

During these periods, parking along this segment of Milwaukee Ave is prohibited; however, pedestrian access and access to businesses, residences, CTA buses and trains remain available throughout construction.