The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) is going to complete emergency repairs to the Grand Avenue Bridge over the Chicago River.

Construction will begin on Monday, October 13th and be completed on Friday, October 24th.
Here are important highlights during construction:

Image credit: Chicago Department of Transportation

Registration Required.  Advanced Registration Appreciated.  Your advanced registration helps us make sure we have enough goodies for all of the kids. Please register below and make sure to “check in” at the registration table the day of the event so we know you arrived.

The event is FREE, but donations are welcome and appreciated.  Donations can be made through Eventbrite when you register.  Thank you in advance for your consideration. For a PDF of the flyer, Click Here.

The 18th District Community Policing Office is collecting Candy and NEW Costumes for youth in our community.  You can help.  You can make a difference.  Consider working with your Property Manager to start a drive in your building to collect………………

• Open through October 27, 2025
• Drop off at the 18th District Police Station at 1160 N. Larrabee Street
• CLICK HERE to print a PDF of this flyer.

Join RNRA to participate in CPD’s Community Conversations. Let your voice be heard. This is an opportunity for community members from across the 18th district to gather, share feedback, and help CPD develop a  strategy for servicing our community in 2026.  Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.  Click HERE for a PDF of this flyer to distribute to your friends and neightors.

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) is asking residents to share their feedback through a short community survey regarding Electric Vehicle (EV) and e-mobility infrastructure improvements in Chicago. The results will guide future decisions and investments to support a more equitable and sustainable future for Chicago residents.

Please take the survey here.

Fall bridge lifts, coordinated by the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), began Saturday, September 27, with the raising of river bridges from S Ashland Ave to Lake Shore Drive. Bridge lifts begin at 9:00 am on weekends and 9:30 am on weekdays.

Each year, in the spring and fall, CDOT raises the movable bridges along the Main and South Branches of the Chicago River on a twice-weekly schedule on Saturdays and Wednesdays to accommodate recreational boats traveling to and from their storage yards. During these “boat runs,” the bridges are typically raised one at a time, with each bridge lift taking an average of 8-12 minutes. A total of 27 bridges are lifted in succession.Survey: Chicago Department of Transportation Electric Vehicle and Mobility Infrastructure Framework

Work continues to replace the Chicago Avenue Bridge. Demolition of the bridge will continue over the next month. In areas where demolition is complete, crews will begin constructing new bridge piers.

Alderman Reilly has heard residents’ concerns about increased traffic and congestion in River North due to the ongoing construction projects in the area, including the Chicago Avenue Bridge project. To help alleviate congestion in the area bounded by Chicago Ave, Orleans St, Grand Ave, and the Chicago River, Alderman Reilly has coordinated with CDOT to install “Local Traffic Only” signage around the boundary of this geographic area. Southbound traffic will now be detoured to LaSalle St, and northbound traffic will be detoured to Orleans St to avoid traffic congestion near the Chicago Ave & Halsted St intersection.

To assist drivers, traffic control aides will be placed on Kingsbury at the intersections of Grand Ave, Ontario St, and Chicago Ave from 3-7pm starting Monday, September 29. These measures will be in place until October 17. A full closure of the bridge will start on September 29. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Click Here for more information on the project.

Alderman Brendan Reilly

Alderman Reilly’s Efforts to Protect Residents and Pets from Stray Voltage. The increase in incidents of pets being shocked by stray voltage has deeply concerned Alderman Reilly. Electrocution by stray voltage is rare, but it can be dangerous for residents and, especially, pets.

Immediately after the incidents last Winter, Alderman Reilly introduced an ordinance (O2025-0016741) that requires contractors working on the public way to report electrical hazard concerns to the Office of Emergency Management (OEMC). The ordinance also requires that property managers notified of electrical hazards notify their residents as soon as possible, and no later than 12 hours.

Recently, Alderman Reilly sent a letter to CDOT requesting information on how their engineers could prevent future cases. That letter can be found here. In response to Alderman Reilly’s concerns, CDOT has implemented several new practices to mitigate stray voltage. CDOT has begun installing insulators on manholes and requiring contractors to test for stray voltage when working on streetlights or traffic circuits near the public way.

Ohio Place Dog Park Closing September 29 for Re-SeedingAlderman Reilly has authorized a portion of his Aldermanic Menu Funding for the re-seeding of Ohio Place Dog Park. Starting Monday, September 29, the Ohio Place Dog Park will begin a four-week re-seeding process. The Park will be temporarily closed to allow the new grass to grow undisturbed.

The new clover grass seed mix that will be planted will naturally fertilize the soil. This mix grows more effectively in shaded areas than other grasses–making it the best choice for Ohio Place Dog Park.

Due to the high costs of the project, this will be the last time that Aldermanic Menu Funding will be allocated for re-seeding at this park. We request that you please keep your dogs off the grass during the four-week growing period so all residents can enjoy new grass once the park has reopened.

Closure signs will be placed on the park’s gates while the new grass grows. We encourage all residents to use Larrabee Street Dog Park during the closure.