CHICAGO — Setting the stage for the next two years, the 2023-24 Chicago Works Plan lays out the next phase of Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot’s multi-year, multi-billion-dollar Chicago Works Infrastructure Plan, bringing much needed improvements to public infrastructure across all of Chicago’s 77 communities. Today’s announcement is part of an updated Chicago Works Five Year Plan, originally announced in April 2021, that combines condition assessment data, with an equity-focused approach to address long-standing and persistent injustices of inequitable distribution of resources in the City of Chicago.

Over the next two years, the Chicago Works Infrastructure Plan will continue to tackle decades of underinvestment in Chicago’s infrastructure by prioritizing projects that improve the ways we move across the City, strengthen our economic position, and increase our environmental resiliency. Chicago Works is designed to build and maintain infrastructure that promotes the health, safety, and connectiveness for all Chicago residents, support neighborhood economies, and create over 6,800 local jobs. In addition, Chicago Works will help the city adapt to climate change and promote water and air quality. 

“Ultimately, the goal of this multi-year initiative is to thoughtfully invest in our City’s collective wealth—our streets, sidewalks, bridges, and waterfronts, etc.—to uplift the quality of life for all Chicago residents,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “We’re heading into year three of our first five-year plan and, already, residents are experiencing the benefits of this work with enhanced street safety, cleaner waterways, and improved public facilities throughout our city.”

Over the last two years, Chicago Works has created thousands of jobs for local residents while making the City’s infrastructure safer and raising the level of repair across the city. The list includes: concrete repairs at over 1,000 locations, completing 21 critical bridge repair projects, launching three bridge replacement projects, funding over 170 miles of street resurfacing, constructing more than 200 blocks of new street lighting, installing 45 new miles of bike lanes, funding improvements along 110 additional miles, commencing construction on three INVEST South/West streetscape projects, engineering the Morgan Shoal section of Lake Michigan, completing renovations at 51 city facilities, and purchasing more than 450 pieces of equipment. 

The 2023-2024 Chicago Works Infrastructure Plan includes critical investments towards public safety, with the planned purchase of more than 530 police vehicles and 80 fire department vehicles and equipment, facility renovations at over 50 public safety facilities, construction of a police driver training facility, $10 million in police district upgrades, $14 million for strategically deployed public safety cameras, and the purchase of bunker gear for new fire department recruits. The Chicago Works plan includes investments in all types of public infrastructure assets. Highlights of the comprehensive 2023-2024 Plan include: 

• Aldermanic Menu Program:$216 million over two years—includes $1.5 million per Ward per year plus supplemental CDOT funding. 
• Bridges and Viaducts:$114.2 million—20 bridge replacement projects, $47.0 million for strategic bridge repairs, $8.3 million to rehabilitate 7 underpasses annually; and $12.0 million to completely reconstruct two viaducts. 
• Streets and Alleys:$251.7 million—residential and arterial street resurfacing based on the Pavement Condition Index and ADA Ramp needs. Also funds the reconstruction of WPA streets, 100 new Green Alleys. 
• Street Lighting:$79.3 million—complete replacement of 200 blocks of residential lighting (two blocks per ward per year) and 100 blocks of arterial lighting, along with strategic targeted light pole replacements and wiring stabilization repairs. 
• Traffic Signals:$81.1 million—modernize City’s historically underfunded traffic signal system with 60 full intersection replacements, critical intersection signal modifications, traffic signal interconnectedness, and battery back-ups. 
• Sidewalks and Pedestrian Right-of-Way:$64.1 million—sidewalk repair (hazardous, vaulted, shared sidewalk programs, ADA ramps, curb and gutter, and alley aprons) to increase accessibility and public safety.  
• Complete Streets:$58.0 million—improvements to and creation of new bike lanes, improvements to priority bus routes and Vision Zero pedestrian safety projects, $13.9 million for pavement markings, $166 million for 17 streetscape projects including those in Invest South/West Corridors, and $6.0 million for public art projects. 
• Waterways & Pathways:$85.0 million—reconstruction of one mile of lakeshore encompassing Morgan Shoal and engineering of the Promontory Point. $48.0 million towards the construction of the Englewood Trail. 
• Facilities:$197.7 million—core facility renovations and facility upgrades to public facilities such as Department of Family and Supportive Service centers, Chicago Department of Public Health locations, Chicago Public libraries, and dozens of non-public facing facilities. This budget also includes environmental remediation of City-owned land and demolition of hazardous buildings.  
• Equipment:$153.5 million—addressing City’s aging fleet including purchasing over 280 light and medium duty electric vehicles, $107.8 million to fund the City’s IT Modernization efforts, $14.0 million for public safety cameras, and $2.2 million for bunker gear. 
• Lead Service Line Replacement—Private:$60.0 million--funding backstop for the 4,000-5,000 annual leaks and brakes that will require public and private lead service lines to be replaced starting January 1, 2023.  
• Economic Development: $40.0 million—catalytic grants to help economic growth along disinvested commercial corridors. 

The plan will leverage capital improvements to spur local economic development and mark a major advancement to the standard of public asset management.  

"Thanks to Chicago Works, CDOT has been able to make increased investments in Chicago’s roads and sidewalks, bridges and viaducts, street lighting, and safety improvements for people walking and biking over the last two years. These infrastructure investments make Chicago a stronger, safer city and improve quality of life for residents,” said Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) Commissioner Gia Biagi. “The next phase of the capital plan will help us continue to move quickly and plan for long-term projects that spur economic growth and job creation in every Chicago community.” 

To learn more about the Chicago Works program, including latest updates and employment and training opportunities, check out www.chicago.gov/ChicagoWorks. 

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