Join Vision Zero Chicago on November 19 at 11:30 a.m. in Federal Plaza (50 W Adams St) in commemoration of World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR). The event will feature a display dedicated to the memories of the victims of traffic crashes over the past year in Chicago and a press event with agency officials and partners speaking to remember these individuals. RSVP here.

Family and Friends of Victims: In memory of the victims of traffic crashes in the City, Vision Zero Chicago will be commemorating  World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR) November 18-19 in Federal Plaza (50 W Adams St).  As part of this event, a memorial will be created in the outdoor area as a space for the families and friends of road traffic victims to gather and remember their loved ones. We welcome you to participate in this memorial:

●      November 18 from 12:30 – 2:30p: The memorial will be set up in Federal Plaza (50 W Adams St). Family and friends are welcome to gather in the space and offer flowers or other mementos to display.*

●      November 19 at 11:30a: A press event will be held in Federal Plaza in commemoration of World Day of Remembrance and in support of action to prevent traffic crashes. Please join us to add to the memorial at this time and attend the event.

With any questions about the event, please contact info@visionzerochicago.org

*Guidelines for Memorial Mementos – Permitted: Flowers, photos, battery powered candles. NOT Permitted: Items that must be returned, flames/candles, items larger than 2 square feet.

Thank you to all who came out this week to help us celebrate 21 years of being your neighborhood advocacy organization!  We are who we are – because of you!  And, we can’t wait to enjoy another great year together in the greatest neighborhood in Chicago.

We especially thank our friends at Tao Chicago for throwing such a fabulous event with delicious appetizers and remarkable staff and service!

A special thank you to 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly and 18th District Commander Daniel O’Shea for sharing their insight and for their ongoing support and friendship.

Want to get involvedi n RNRA?  For more information visit us online at RNRAChicago.org/volunteer.

To print a copy, click HERE.

Chicago is home to the nation’s largest evening holiday celebration – the BMO Harris Bank Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. Held this Saturday, November 17, the event will jump start the holiday season with a full day of family friendly activities, live music concerts, and holiday shopping.

This beloved holiday tradition begins with a grand evening parade down Michigan Avenue led by Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse from the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The lighting procession will step-off this year at 5:30pm from Oak and Michigan and proceeds south to Wacker Drive.

The procession concludes with a fireworks show over the Chicago River at Michigan Avenue at approximately 6:55pm. For public safety, spectators are not allowed to view fireworks on any of the Chicago bridges.

Street Closures:
The following MAIN STREET CLOSURES will take place as early as 4:00pm on Saturday, November 17 and will remain in place until 8pm or such time as the Chicago Police Department deems it safe to reopen the street:

The following ADDITIONAL STREET CLOSURES will take effect at different times on Saturday, November 17:
Closed 8am to 6pm:

Closed 5pm to 7:30pm:

The following Curb Lane Closures will take effect at different times on Saturday, November 17:

Closed 8am to 6pm:

Closed 4:30pm to 10pm

Given the large crowds expected for this year’s festival and the associated street closures, it is highly advised that residents exercise caution and expect traffic congestion should they decide to drive near the parade route.

Additionally, given the magnitude of the event, there may be significant traffic delays associated with the festival as well as intermittent “rolling” closures not listed in the Street Closure Notice-these are under the jurisdiction of the Chicago Police Department and will be enacted without the consent or notification of the Alderman’s Office.

The OEMC Operations Center will monitor this event accordingly. Residents and visitors are asked to be mindful of street closures and parking restrictions and to expect delays in the vicinity. Traffic Control Aides will also be on hand to assist with traffic flow.

New this year, CDOT expects to close the Dusable Bridge (Michigan Avenue Bridge) to pedestrian traffic for safety as early as 3:30PM. Pedestrian traffic should use Columbus, State or Wabash Bridges as alternative routes.

For CTA Reroute information please click here.

Schedule of Events:
All musical performances will take place on the BMO Harris Bank Stage, located at Pioneer Court, 401 N. Michigan Avenue.  For a schedule of events, please click here.

For more information about the 2018 Festival of Lights, including in-business events at Mag Mile stores restaurants and hotels, please click here to view the Holiday Activity Guide.

Source:  Alderman Reilly Reports  11/16/18

Please join The Chicago Help Initiative as they host the 3rd Annual “Miracle on 34th Street”.  It’s holiday fun for the entire family with a sing-a-long, Christmas raffle and appearance from Santa!

The Chicago Help Initiative provides meals and resources to Chicago’s homeless.  All proceeds from the event sponsors meals for those in need.

For more information, Click HERE

For a copy of the flyer, Click HERE.

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) will close Chicago Avenue, between Larrabee Street and Halsted Street at 5:00 a.m. on November 1 to begin the demolition of the 100 year old bascule bridge.  In its place, CDOT will install an interim bridge to ensure continued safe travel over the north branch of the Chicago River.

The current bridge was constructed in 1914 and requires full replacement to maintain and support the volume of vehicle, bus, bicycle and pedestrian traffic in this active corridor.  Preliminary work on the project began in late September.

On November 1, CDOT will start the bridge project with the demolition of the existing bridge, followed by its replacement with a new interim bridge structure. The full project to replace the bridge is expected to last five months; however, the roadway on Chicago Avenue is expected to reopen before project completion.  After the reopening of the roadway, the final month of the project will include the installation of new road and navigational lighting.

Marked detours have been designed for bicyclists, pedestrians, personal vehicles, buses and trucks. CDOT is making every effort to minimize traffic disruptions and is limiting other construction on the detour routes, and restricting parking to maximize road capacity.

CDOT has also partnered with CTA to initiate an innovative pilot program to help mitigate the impact of the bridge detour for the 15,000 daily bus riders in this corridor. In order to maintain service reliability and trip speed for CTA bus route #66 Chicago customers, a temporary, shared bus-bike lane will be installed in both directions on Halsted St. between Chicago Ave. and Division St.. The shared bus-bike lane will be curbside and will have no impact on normal traffic flow or roadway capacity along Halsted. The shared bus-bike lane will be exclusive to CTA buses and bicycles, and parking will be restricted in this area to accommodate the bus-bike lane. CDOT and CTA encourage the use of public transportation during the construction detour.

Construction and installation of the permanent structure is expected to occur in 2021.

CDOT will communicate regularly with stakeholders on the progress of this project, and Alderman Reilly will include these updates in Reilly Reports. To add your contact information to CDOT’s project update email distribution list, contact the resident engineer Andrew Mey at 312-914-5461 or by email at  amey@benesch.com.

Source:  Alderman Reilly Reports 10/26/18

Alderman Reilly is hosting a Community Electronics Recycling Event on Saturday, November 10 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The event will be held at the Ohio Place Dog Park located at 360 West Ohio Street.

This is your opportunity to recycle old unwanted electronics and electronic material. Please visit Newtech E-Scrap’s website here for information regarding electronics that the company accepts.

The following items will not be accepted: Tube TVs, Cathode Ray Tube monitors, loose batteries, light bulbs, or hazardous waste.

A representative from Alderman Reilly’s Office will be present to address concerns or questions regarding city-related matters.

For a copy of the flyer, click here.

Chicago’s Official Veterans Day Ceremony will take place in City Hall Council Chambers on Sunday, November 11, at 11.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, together with combat veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth will honor local and national veterans at this year’s ceremony.

Brigadier General Mark C. Jackson of the Illinois Army National Guard will deliver the keynote address, and members from each branch of the United States military, civic leaders, and cadets from the Chicago Public Schools JROTC will be represented.

The program will feature the “National Anthem” sung by Alleece Baker with USO of Illinois, the “Armed Forces Medley” performed by the 144th Army Ceremonial Band, Illinois National Guard, “Taps” by Tom J. Day, founder of Bugles Across America, and a wreath laying ceremony.

Veterans Day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who have served honorably in the military in wartime and peacetime. Originally known as Armistice Day and so declared by President Woodrow Wilson, it was created to mark the signing of the Armistice which ended World War I. Following World War II, it was declared a day to honor all veterans and in 1954, renamed Veterans Day by Congress.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, click here.

Source:  Alderman Reilly Report:  11/9/18

Open enrollment for 2019 Health Care coverage runs from November 1st to December 15th. Starting November 1st, you can log in to HealthCare.gov, fill out an application, and enroll in a 2019 Marketplace health plan. Enroll by December 15, 2018 and coverage starts January 1, 2019. 2019 plans and prices will be available to preview shortly before November 1.

If you don’t have health insurance through a job, Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or another source that provides qualifying health coverage, the Marketplace can help you get covered.