Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety meeting, July 14, 2023
- When: Fri, Jul 14, 2023, 10:00 AM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8928552/video/845057227
- Transcript: full text (13,357 words, official captions)
Meeting notes
AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.
The Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety heard four public commenters, mostly in support of city sidewalk snow plowing, approved its June 23 Rule 45 report, and recommended approval of the routine direct-introduction, recommended and not-recommended traffic ordinances. The main item was a substitute ordinance sponsored by Alderperson Gilbert Villegas creating a Chicago Plow the Sidewalk pilot program, which would set up an interdepartmental working group to design a pilot. Advocates from Better Streets Chicago, Access Living and AARP Illinois testified in support, while several members raised concerns about cost, labor, equipment and whether the program would return for council approval. After a recess, the committee amended the substitute to require approval by the committee and full City Council before the program is established and to have the working group report by May 31, 2024, then recommended passage.
Topics: Sidewalk snow plowing, Pilot programs, Accessibility, Disability access, Streets and Sanitation, Traffic ordinances
Agenda items discussed
- 14:48 Rule 45 report from the June 23 committee meeting: passed
- 15:19 Direct introduction, recommended and not-recommended traffic ordinances on pages 1 through 7: passed
- 17:17 Substitute ordinance amending chapter 10-8 to create the Chicago Plow the Sidewalk pilot program: passed
- 1:49:41 Amendment to the substitute requiring committee and City Council approval and a May 31, 2024 working group report: passed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Daniel La Spata (chair): Explained that the late substitute replaced defined pilot zones with an interdepartmental working group, at the administration's request, with a sunset and an evaluation. (45:28); Told Alderperson David H. Moore the ordinance commits to a working group and a pilot, with no further action without committee consultation and review. (49:15); Said it would be disingenuous to commit to plowing sidewalks without a pilot, and that members' questions would be answered over the next year. (50:54)
- Gilbert Villegas (alderperson): Said nearly 600,000 Chicagoans are affected by unplowed sidewalks, especially seniors, people with disabilities and parents, and described the pilot as an access and economic development measure. (18:41); Answered that Toronto has plowed all of its sidewalks for over a decade and can complete citywide plowing in 13 to 72 hours. (52:11); Said the working group would start small using criteria in the ordinance so the pilot can succeed. (53:14)
- David H. Moore (alderperson): Asked to confirm that the working group would draft a program that returns to the committee for a vote before any pilot. (48:24); Said he would rather the ordinance only establish a working group and return for approval before any procedures are set. (50:36)
- Derrick G. Curtis (alderperson): Said he likes the ordinance and asked what Toronto's program looks like and how it would scale to his ward's miles of sidewalks. (51:52)
- Jason C. Ervin (alderperson): Supported a working group but objected to granting authority to implement without known costs, funding or a return to the council for approval. (54:25); Said the drafted language could let department heads make resource decisions without coming back to the council. (56:45); Said the two sides would have to agree to disagree and that the program should return to the council before implementation. (59:40)
- Marty Quinn (alderperson): Asked whether the ordinance authorizes both a working group and implementation and whether the earlier $750,000 figure still applied. (1:00:01); Citing his own snow removal program for seniors, estimated citywide equipment alone could cost about $17 million and said he could not support the ordinance as drafted. (1:02:49); Asked to hear from the Streets and Sanitation commissioner about potential blind spots. (1:05:31)
- Bennett R. Lawson (alderperson): Said vacant and city-owned lots are major barriers in his ward and asked what the city plows now and whether Toronto uses contractors. (1:09:35)
- Timothy R. Knudsen (alderperson): Supported the working group, asked whether it is funded, and raised concerns about strain on Streets and Sanitation and pollution from gas-powered equipment. (1:17:38); Suggested looking at small budget lines that affect accessibility, such as CDOT's three sign work order specialists. (1:21:14)
- Ruth Cruz (alderperson): Supported the concept as a co-sponsor but asked for more information on costs, funding, labor and which blocks the pilot would cover. (1:22:58)
- Matthew J. Martin (alderperson): Praised the coalition's interactive mapping tool and urged early briefings so the working group addresses concerns members flagged. (1:25:58)
Exchanges between members
- 48:24 Moore asked whether the working group's program would return to the committee for a vote.
- 49:15 La Spata told Moore nothing would happen without further committee consultation and review.
- 51:52 Curtis asked Villegas what Toronto's program looks like.
- 52:11 Villegas answered Curtis about Toronto's sidewalk plowing program.
- 54:25 Ervin said he was in agreement with Moore about the working group's authority.
- 56:18 Villegas responded to Ervin that costs would come back to the council in future votes.
- 59:40 Ervin told Villegas they would have to agree to disagree.
- 1:00:01 Quinn built on Ervin's concerns about implementation.
- 1:00:47 Villegas clarified the sequence of the working group, pilot and report to Quinn.
- 1:05:13 La Spata respectfully disagreed with Quinn that the pilot would fail.
- 1:05:31 Quinn agreed with La Spata about the Streets and Sanitation commissioner's expertise.
- 1:22:58 Cruz echoed Knudsen's support for the concept and his questions.
- 1:25:41 Villegas said he would incorporate questions from Ervin and Moore into the ordinance.
- 1:26:43 Martin encouraged the chair to require early consultation briefings in the substitute.
- 1:26:53 Martin noted the critical issues Quinn had flagged.