CHICAGO – Mayor Lori Lightfoot launched the first phase of the city’s five-year plan to help rebuild Chicago’s infrastructure, while also creating thousands of jobs.
The $3.7 billion endeavor is set to impact all 77 of Chicago’s neighborhoods. As a result, locals should expect to see a lot more construction crews this spring and summer.
“Today is a phenomenal day in our city,” said Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, surrounded by city department heads and other elected officials on Monday. The mayor touted the new “Chicago Works Capital Plan” as a means to help modernize the city’s infrastructure.
“We aim to address neglected infrastructure through a data-driven needs approach,” she said.
The plan calls for streets to be resurfaced and bridges to be replaced or repaired. Workers will create green alleys to improve drainage. Street lighting will also be replaced. Sidewalk will be repaired for increased accessibility and safety. Additionally, 24 new streetscape projects to beautify the neighborhoods will be implemented.
The plan will address neglected neighborhoods on the South and West sides as well as downtown Chicago.
“In addition to addressing decades-long backlog of infrastructure needs, “Chicago Works” will also put thousands of our residents back to work with well-paying jobs.”
The hope is that the union wage jobs that come with benefits will create a ripple effect because the contracts to do the work will require most of the staff hired to live in Chicago.
“The data shows that for every 100 construction workers employed, there’s another 226 jobs created to help support that, so it’s that supply chain that we’re also fueling through this work,” said Karin Norrington Reeves with Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership.
The mayor says she plans to have people in her office and throughout the city government keep an eye on the contractors to make sure they live up to the terms she laid out.
Click here for more information about the plan.