The new Safe and Secure program is a multi-faceted effort to increase safety across the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) system and provide a more secure, comfortable traveling experience.

Beginning later this year CTA will add 1,000 new cameras and upgrade more than 3,800 older-model cameras throughout the system. Additionally, new lighting, repairs and other improvements will enhance safety at all 146 CTA rail stations. New cameras will also be installed at more than 100 CTA bus turnaround locations and video monitors will be added to all CTA rail stations to aid personnel in monitoring station and customer activity.

CTA’s security camera network has doubled in size since 2011. The cameras, found at every rail station and on every bus and train, have been an important tool to help Chicago Police identify crime suspects and detect crime patterns. All of CTA’s buses and trains have multiple cameras. The newest buses have 10-14 cameras per vehicle depending on size.

Additionally, CTA has worked closely with the Chicago Police Department’s Public Transportation Unit to strengthen and deploy strategies to fight crime that include expanded police patrols, rail saturation missions and undercover operations. Since June 2011, CTA cameras have aided Police in the investigation, arrest and charging of more than 1,300 individuals.

CTA’s Safe and Secure is funded by a new, innovative fee on ride-hailing services championed by Mayor Emanuel, the first such fee in the country dedicated to public transportation improvements.

For more information on CTA security efforts, visit transitchicago.com/security.

Source:  Alderman Reilly Reports  3/2/18

In honor of Commander Paul Bauer, the Weather Mark Tavern will be holding a benefit fundraiser on March 2nd. A $15 donation at the door includes: 2 drink tickets, an appetizer buffet, a DJ and a raffle. Teams of Guest and Celebrity bartenders will be slinging drinks with all tips being donated to the Bauer Family. Anyone wanting to make a donation who can’t attend is encouraged to go to The Chicago Patrolmen’s Federal Credit Union c/o The Paul Bauer Family.

Guest Bartenders:
7pm-Anna Radosz, George, Dan Hampton ’85 Bears, Patrick Elwood WGN News, Dina Blair WGN News, Erin Kennedy CBS2, Lauren Victory CBS2.
8pm- Edyta Paslawska, Anna Davlantes WGN, Richard Roeper Sun Times/Film Critic, Natalie Martinez NBC5, Seth Rouse, Tom Sappenfield.
9pm-Anneta Mrowiec, Jenny Milkowski (Awesome TV Lady,) Chris Stewart, Scott Harm
11pm-Danny Sawyer, Lance Akers, Kimi Luttrell, Charlie Stahmer.

Many more guest bartenders still coming.

Visitation for Commander Paul R. Bauer will be held until 9:00pm this evening, Friday, February 16, 2018 at Nativity of Our Lord Church, 653 W. 37th Street, Chicago, IL 60609.  Today also marks Commander Bauer and wife, Erin Bauer’s 16th Wedding Anniversary.

The funeral service for family, close friends and colleagues will be held Saturday, February 17, 10:00am at the Nativity of Our Lord Church, and will streamed live on ABC for all to watch.

Due to the extremely large anticipated gathering for the honors funeral for Commander Paul Bauer on Saturday, the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications are encouraging those wishing to pay their respects to do so along the funeral procession route to Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 6001 W. 111th Street, Alsip, IL 60803.

The funeral procession will begin at Nativity of Our Lord Church, 652 W. 37th Street, and proceed south on Halsted, east on Pershing Road to 90/94E to I-57S to 111th Street, south on Vincennes to Monterrey, west on Monterrey (111th Street) to the cemetery.

The City encourages the public to turn the route blue during the procession to show their support for Commander Bauer’s family and the Chicago Police Department. In addition to wearing blue and displaying blue ribbons, items such as Chicago flags, American flags and CPD flags are also encouraged.

In addition to the services, residents can honor Commander Bauer’s service and sacrifice by leaving their remembrances in sympathy books for his family. The books are available to be signed in the lobby of City Hall and in the lobby of the 18th Police District until further notice.

A Memorial Fund has been established for Commander Bauer, where donations will go directly to his wife Erin and daughter Grace.  For more information, visit https://www.cpdfcu.com/bauer.

Source:  Alderman Reilly Reports 2/16/18

We, the residents of the 18th District, send our most sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and Chicago Police Department team members on the loss of a remarkable leader and friend, Commander Paul Bauer.

We are devastated by the loss of our local public safety champion. Paul was a seasoned 31-year CPD veteran whose spirit, outreach, commitment to our well-being was valued and undeniable. The fact that he put his life on the line to serve the people of Chicago is something that First Responders do every day, but is also something that we hope and pray never results in the loss that we bear today.

May we all be safe from adversity and harm and may we all be blessed with angels like Paul Bauer.

Anonymously and SAFELY help rid your community of crime by sending tips to the Chicago Police Department via text message from your cellular device. This program is designed for residents who wish to digitally submit tips to CPD from their mobile phone (non-smartphone) using a text message instead of a mobile web browser.

Cash Rewards up to $1,000 for tips leading to an arrest. For additional information visit the TXT2TIP website.

Source:  Alderman Brian Hopkins 2nd Ward Newsletter 2/13/18

Free homework help for elementary age children is offered at Chicago Public Library branches!  The Lincoln Park Branch, 1150 W. Fullerton Avenue, has a volunteer Homework Helper with extensive teaching experience on Wednesday afternoons from 3 to 6 p.m., and a teacher in the library on Thursday afternoons from 4 to 7 p.m.  The Lincoln Belmont Branch, 1659 W. Melrose St., has a teacher in the library on Tuesday afternoons from 4 to 7 p.m.  The Near North Branch, 310 W. Division, has a teacher in the library on Monday afternoons from 4 to 7 p.m.  No registration is needed. Please visit www.chipublib.org for additional information.

The Chicago Transit Authority has launched a comprehensive program of track repairs and maintenance designed to provide faster commutes and smoother rides for ‘L’ customers—improvements made possible by Mayor Emanuel’s innovative fee on ride-hailing services.

The CTA’s FastTracks program will reduce by up to six minutes off a typical round-trip commute on the Red, Blue, Brown and Green Lines, the four busiest rail lines, by repairing and upgrading rail, rail ties and electrical power in multiple locations throughout the system. The $179 million investment is being funded through a small increase in fees charged to app-based ride-hailing companies operating in Chicago. The fee, proposed by the Mayor and approved by City Council in November, is the first of its kind in the country to directly support investment in public transportation.

The first phase of FastTracks includes track repairs in various spots on the Green Line just south of 35th Street. Other projects in 2018 through 2021 include improvements along:

The track work across these rail lines will remove slow zones and increase service reliability. The improvements entail a combination of repairing and replacing sections of iron rail; replacing deteriorated wooden rail ties; and adjusting and maintaining track ballast. The electrical power improvements along the Blue Line O’Hare branch will allow CTA to run additional trains during high-ridership times like the morning rush period on weekdays, which will help address crowded trains and reduce the amount of time customers have to wait on platforms.

Work will be completed outside of weekday peak-ridership hours to minimize the impact to customers. For more information about the FastTracks project, visit transitchicago.com/fasttracks.

Source:  Brian Hopkins 2nd Ward Alderman Newsletter 2/13/18

Chicago Avenue Bridge Closure:
Monday, February 12, 9:30am to 2:30pm
The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) needs to repair a section of roadway grating on the Chicago Avenue Bridge.  This repair work will also help eliminate any noisy metal on metal sounds from the bridge.

The grating repair requires the full closure of the bridge on Monday, February 12, from 9:30am until 2:30pm, weather dependent. The work requires a complete full closure – impacting vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic.

Detour Information for Motorists and Cyclists:

CTA Reroute:
Signage will be posted at all affected bus stops, and all service stops will be honored while on the reroute by bus operators.

Kinzie Street Bridge Closure:
Tuesday, February 13 to Monday, February 19
The Kinzie Street Bridge over the North Branch of the Chicago River must be closed, and the single leaf bridge raised, to allow CDOT to perform needed repairs and help eliminate noisy metal on metal sounds from the bridge.

Due to the current weather forecast, and projected snowfall for the remainder of the week, the Kinzie Street Bridge closure has been postponed to Tuesday, February 13, starting at 2:00am.  The bridge will reopen to traffic on Monday, February 19, 5:00am.

Detour Information for motorists:

Bicycle Route:
As Kinzie is part of a major bicycle commuting route, a separate detour has been established for bicyclists coming into or leaving downtown via Milwaukee.