Mayor Lori Lightfoot joined aldermen and city officials to launch the five-year Chicago Works jobs and infrastructure plan. Allocations for the first two years of the plan include US$164.3 million to complete the funding of 23 bridge replacement projects, US$66.2 million for 37 bridge repair projects, US$16.9 million to rehabilitate 13 underpasses and US$7.5 million to begin the process of improving vertical clearance at five viaducts.
The city is funding the work in 2021 and 2022 through a US$1.4 billion bond that represents the first instalment for the US$3.7 billion Chicago Works plan.
“The mayor’s Chicago Works Capital Plan provides the funding and framework for a legacy investment in our critical transportation infrastructure in neighbourhoods across the city, especially in communities challenged by mobility and economic hardships” said Chicago Department of Transportation commissioner Gia Biagi. “As our city leads the way on recovery from the pandemic, Chicago Works includes funding for streetscapes, lighting, bikeways, bridges, sidewalks, traffic safety, public art, and more. These improvements prioritise making it easy to safely move around the city in sustainable ways like walking, biking, and taking public transit while making our streets and our public way vibrant, safe, and inviting places.”
