Mayor Lori Lightfoot plans to spend $3.7 billion over five years on infrastructure projects across Chicago, under a plan her administration is announcing Wednesday.
As part of Lightfoot’s proposal, the city would borrow $1.4 billion to fund projects over the next two years before borrowing more later.
Transportation Commissioner Gia Biagi said the city plans to balance more conventional, necessary maintenance work on bridges and other key infrastructure with complete street projects aimed at making roads more accessible for bikers and pedestrians.
Lightfoot officials said they would work with aldermen on projects, an olive branch of sorts to the City Council at a time when the mayor is struggling to lock in 26 votes for her 2021 budget plan. The move also gives her a signature spending plan to point to if she runs for reelection and a way to create jobs for residents.
Most of the projects will require at least half of the staff working on them to live in Chicago and the contracting process “will place a high priority on using minority, women-owned and locally owned businesses,” officials said.
The spending would include $216 million as part of what’s called the aldermanic menu program, a fund that allows City Council members to fund certain pet projects in their wards, Lightfoot officials said. It will also include $164.3 million to complete funding for 23 bridge replacement projects, $66.2 million for 37 bridge repair projects, $16.9 million to rehabilitate 13 underpasses and $7.5 million to begin the process of improving vertical clearance at five viaducts, officials said.
In addition, the city would spend $250 million for residential and arterial street resurfacing, including the creation of so-called green alleys that improve drainage and sustainability, officials said.
Lightfoot also would spend $112 million for street lighting to replace 4,000 aging light poles, complete replacement of 300 blocks of lighting infrastructure, and strategic wiring stabilization repairs, as well as $28 million for the traffic signal system, officials said.
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More than $112 million would go toward various sidewalk repairs and the city also would spend $49 million on improvements to bike lanes, priority bus routes and pavement markings.
About $132 million would go to renovate Department of Family and Public Health centers, libraries and other buildings, officials said, and $162 million for the city’s fleets and IT systems.
“Our Five-Year Capital Plan is our latest ambitious campaign to invest in Chicago’s residents and businesses, and lays the groundwork for our future as a premier global destination and the best city in the world to call home,” Lightfoot said in a statement. “By leading with equity, we are ensuring that this success is not only driven by our historically disinvested communities, but brings our whole city closer together by literally building bridges across neighborhoods and unlocking our full potential for decades to come.”
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