Over the next 2 months approximately, various areas of the Kingsbury Street and Hubbard Street parkways and adjacent roads will be reconstructed to provide a new landscaped pedestrian way with simplified parking and traffic lane improvements to help the flow of traffic in the neighborhood. The overall site plan below shows both those improvements that have been installed with the construction of Hubbard Place last fall and the new construction to be completed this summer.
The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) will close the Dearborn Street Bridge over the Chicago River to vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic on Tuesday, June 24. To complete the Riverwalk Construction project, the contractor must raise the Dearborn Street Bridge for an extended period of time to construct a pedestrian underbridge to connect the path below. The bridge will re-open at 8 p.m. on Monday, June 30.
The Dearborn Street Bridge Closure begins at 7:00am on Tuesday, June 24th and lasts through 8:00pm on Monday, June 30.
For the Dearborn Bridge closure, all vehicles including CTA buses, will be detoured west on Wacker Drive, north on Lasalle Street, east on Illinois Street to Dearborn. Northbound bicycles on Dearborn will detour east on Lake Street, north on State Street, west on Kinzie Street, then back to Dearborn. Southbound bikes on will detour west on Kinzie Street, south on Clark Street, then return to Dearborn via Lake Street. Click here (LINK) to download the detour map. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will also be rerouting buses as needed and will post signs at bus stops.
The State Street Bridge closure will occur in mid-July.
Project Overview:
The Chicago Riverwalk project will create a continuous pedestrian path along the south bank of the Main Branch of the Chicago River from State Street to Lake Street. Construction of the underbridge connections will require lifting and closing the bridges for a period of several days each.
The bridges over the river establish a boundary between each Riverwalk block, which will allow each to have a unique identity and landscaping, linked by the continuous walkway along the river, beneath each bridge. The Riverwalk design plans include the build out of six blocks from State to Lake, with an extension of 25 feet from the current configuration into the river,
Due to expedited work during the past 2 weekend
, IDOT was able to complete the planned construction for the last weekend in June. Construction has been completed on the Ohio Feeder Ramp project. IDOT removed pieces of the Ohio Feeder ramp to the Kennedy Expressway, as part of the reconstruction of the ramp. This required partial closures of the ramps from the Kennedy to and from Ohio and Ontario, as well as partial lane closures on the Kennedy. Work began Friday nights at 10:00 PM and finished early than expected on Sunday.
For more updates, http://www.dot.il.gov/KennedyatOhio/detour.html.
This summer, the Office of Chicago City Clerk Susana A. Mendoza and the City of Chicago is helping move the annual Chicago City Vehicle Sticker Sales Program out of the horse and buggy era and into the 21st Century. The seasonal Chicago City Vehicle Sticker rush started in 1908. This summer, we can all say “goodbye” to the long lines and more than 100 years of inefficiency and “hello” to the Year-Round Chicago City Vehicle Sticker Program.The goal is to improve customer service experience, and reduce wait times while cutting overtime costs and bringing greater efficiencies to the City Clerk’s Office.
Purchase Your City Sticker Online:
The easiest and fastest way to get your vehicle sticker is buying online. Use EZ>BUY to purchase new 2014 Chicago City Vehicle Stickers or 2014 Chicago Residential Parking Daily Permits online. You can either use your renewal form or your license plate number, street name and last name to pull up your record from more than two million on file with the Chicago City Clerk’s Office. Please allow 10 to 14 business days for the delivery of your online Chicago City Vehicle Sticker purchase.
Information About Year-Round Sales and other changes to the Chicago City Vehicle Sticker Program:
This summer, when you receive your 2014 Chicago City Vehicle Sticker Renewal Form, everyone will renew their Chicago City Vehicle Sticker as they have in the past – online, in the mail or in-person – but motorists will be given two purchasing options to set their new Year-Round Chicago City Vehicle Sticker Program renewal schedule.
The new renewal date will be set six months from the expiration date of each motorist’s Illinois State License Plate Registration (see chart below). The Office of the Clerk has partnered with the Office of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White to stagger the renewal schedule of more than one million Chicago motorists to establish the Year-Round Chicago City Vehicle Sales Program and help residents better budget for vehicle costs throughout the course of the year.
Please note, seniors will not be affected by the change to Year-Round Sales and will remain on a June-to-June renewal schedule.
On the 2014 Chicago City Vehicle Sticker Renewal Form, motorists will be given a choice to purchase either a short-term Prorated Chicago City Vehicle Sticker or a long-term Extended Chicago Vehicle Sticker.
Here’s how these options work for a motorist with an Illinois State License Plate Registration expiration month of April. For this motorist, their new Chicago City Vehicle Sticker expiration month is October. You can use the chart above to check to find your new renewal month. All this information regarding your new renewal month and your purchase options are customized for you on your 2014 Chicago City Vehicle Sticker Renewal Form.
Residential Permit Parking Information:
The 2014 vehicle sticker will again feature residential zone information on the annual vehiclesticker. Residential parking permit (RPP) zones limit parking to residents and their guests during specified hours. This program helps to ensure that residents of densely populated areas have reasonable access to parking near their residences. Vehicles parked in an RPP zone must display an RPP annual permit or daily pass on their windshield or they may be ticketed. In addition, residents parking in an RPP Zone must adhere to any other parking regulations or restrictions on the street – including, but not limited to paying meters, adhering to rush hour or tow zone regulations, and street cleaning parking restrictions. It is the driver’s responsibility to read and comply with all the posted parking restriction signs.
Residents can check to see if their address falls in a residential parking zone by clicking here.
A city vehicle sticker is not required to purchase daily guest passes. Daily passes are for guests of a RPP zone resident. The pass is valid for no more than 24 hours from the time written on the permit. All other traffic restrictions must be followed while displaying a permit. By ordinance, an RPP zone resident can purchase up to 30 daily passes every 30 days.
Please be advised that residents will need to bring a photo id with their current address or proof of residence (mortgage or lease, water, gas, light, satellite or cable television or land line phone bill), in order to purchase the annual residential permit parking sticker or daily guest passes.
Please visit the City Clerk’s website for additional information on vehicle stickers and residential passes, or call them directly at 312-744-6770.
Dog friendly areas are designated sections within Chicago parks or beaches, where dogs are allowed to run and play off -leash, the only areas in the city where this is allowed. Until the creation of these areas, dogs were only allowed in the city’s parks on a leash. Many of these sites provide features such as doggie drinking fountains, separate areas for shy dogs, dog owner bulletin boards, trash receptacles and extra doggie bags.
The owner or other responsible person bringing any dog into a dog friendly area must have a permit and tag issued by a participating Veterinarian for each dog. Please be responsible when using these areas by following the policies and procedures for Chicago Park District Dog Friendly Areas.
We hope your dog enjoys running, playing and socializing with other dogs in a Chicago Park District dog friendly area. Remember to be safe, obey the rules, and respect the park and others.
For further information on dog friendly areas:
Where can I get a permit and tag? Permits and tags are available at participating Chicagoland veterinary offices. If you are an out-of-state resident you have the option of contacting a participating veterinary office. Most of the Chicagoland veterinarians will assist those whose own vets are not participating. You should call them first to confirm that they will assist you, what paperwork is necessary to obtain the permit and tag, and to determine how much they charge for an office visit. You can also have your own veterinarian purchase the tag on your behalf from the Chicago Park District. They can contact us at 312-742-4687. View the list of participating Chicagoland veterinary offices. http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/facilities/dog-friendly-areas/participating-veterinarians/
A City Hall Community hearing concerning GTE Development Group/ Board Room will be held at 10 am, Tuesday June 17th at 121 N. LaSalle St. in room 805.
For the second year in a row, hundreds of our River North residents voted in our summer movie survey. Shown in A. Montgomery Ward Park, movies will begin Tuesday June 17th at sundown. We are looking for volunteers to help us greet and hand out programs prior to the movies. Interested, please contact info@rnrachicago.org.
This year’s movie line-up:
The six movies are sponsored by RNRA with the support of the Chicago Park District. The cost of each move is paid by RNRA along with support from local businesses who sponsor our program. The movies are selected from a catalog supplied by the Park District. All movies are rate PG-13 or lower.
Please remember Dogs are NOT allowed in A. Montgomery Ward Park at anytime. Alcohol is also prohibited.
See you in the park!
The 31st Annual Chicago Blues Festival, June 13 through June 15 in Grant Park is the largest FREE blues festival in the world and remains the largest of Chicago’s Music Festivals. This year the festival theme celebrates “Blues by the Lake,” with three days of the finest blues music featuring headliners Carolina Chocolate Drops, Otis Taylor Band and a special celebration commemorating the centennial of John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson featuring Billy Boy Arnold and The Siegel-Schwall Blues Band with Sam Lay. Also headlining, Theo Huff, Willie Clayton, Bettye LaVette Nikki Hill, Aaron Neville and Dr. John.
The FREE admission Chicago Blues Festival is open from 11am to 9:30pm daily. The Petrillo Music Shell will feature headliners at 6pm–9:30pm on Friday, June 13 and Saturday, June 14. The stage will run 5:30pm–9:30pm on Sunday, June 15.
During three days on five stages, more than 500,000 blues fans prove that Chicago is the “Blues Capital of the World.” Past performers include Bonnie Raitt, Ray Charles, B.B. King, the late Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy and the late Koko Taylor. Admission is free.
Please visit www.chicagobluesfestival.us for more information.
Looking for discounts in River North? Please sign up for your Member Card today!
Spring has sprung and Hollywood has returned to River North! Please take note of upcoming filming schedules in our neighborhood.
Filming Notification on Kinzie
Date and Time: Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Location: 66 W. Kinzie
Traffic Impact: The north side of Kinzie
CTA Construction Activity under Brown Line
Date and Time: Every night beginning Wednesday, May 14, 2014 to Friday, May 16, 2014 from 7 pm to 6 am the next day
Location: Franklin St (between Illinois and Chicago)
Traffic Impact: To accommodate installation of new steel structure to remove a slow zone there will be a “No Parking / Tow Zone”
CTA Construction Activity under Brown Line
Date and Time: Sunday, May 18, 2014 from 6 am to 8 pm
Location: Franklin St (between Illinois and Chicago)
Traffic Impact: To accommodate installation of new steel structure to remove a slow zone there will be a “No Parking / Tow Zone”. Please note there may be noise prior to 9 am for staging of trucks and preparing equipment, but the most loud noise will take place after 9 am
