Chicago's Mayor Brandon Johnson has kicked off an initiative aimed at keeping the city's sidewalks snow-free and safe, especially for seniors and the disabled, the Mayor's Office announced today. This move comes as a step in addressing the mobility issues faced by residents during the city's ruthless winters, with plans to implement the Plow the Sidewalks Pilot Program in the winter of 2025 through 2026.
"Chicago is a world-class city, and as a world-class city, it must be accessible for our seniors and individuals living with disabilities in the winter months during periods of heavy snow and ice,” said Mayor Johnson, acknowledging the importance of ease of movement for all community members, highlighting those with accessibility needs, the Mayor's statement emphasized on creating a more inclusive environment through the pilot program aimed to foster safer travel on city sidewalks.
In 2021, a push for a municipal sidewalk snowplow service began, and by July 2023, with the backing of Mayor Johnson, Aldermen Villegas and La Spata, among others, succeeded in passing legislation for the launch of a pilot sidewalk plowing program, "We've seen other municipalities are already providing this service, and now Chicago is a step closer to joining them - this report showcases the practicality of implementing a pilot program that will allow us to identify challenging areas to focus on,” said Alderman Gilbert Villegas according to the Mayor's Office.
According to the released recommendations, the program includes plans to clear sidewalks when at least two inches of snowfall accumulates, and testing out procedures in four 1.5 square mile pilot zones across Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods, "It is a priority of CDOT to ensure safe and efficient travel on the public way," told CDOT Commissioner Tom Carney to the Mayor's office, signifying CDOT’s readiness to administer the pilot and learn how to efficiently deploy sidewalk snow removal as a standard city service.
The pilot program, while still in its nascent phase, will seek feedback from residents in the selected zones, allowing for the gathering of insights on the effectiveness of the strategy and making adjustments as necessary for citywide implementation. DSS Commissioner Cole Stallard expressed, In Chicago we know about snow removal, through tried-and-true practices developed from historic snow events over the years and upgraded technology we’ve been able to implement to be more responsive and efficient,” indicating the city's long-standing expertise in battling winter's obstacles.
