Committee Matters — Alderman Daniel La Spata

The Committee oversees all matters relating to pedestrian and traffic safety within the city, including safe streets, sidewalks, crossing signals, bike lanes, and more. Below are matters that the Committee is working on. This page is updated regularly.

+ Citywide Speed Limit

On May 1, 2024, the Committee held its monthly meeting which included a subject matter hearing on lowering the default citywide speed limit of 30 miles per hour (MPH) to 25 MPH. Representatives from city departments, such as the Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Health, and members of transportation advocacy groups joined the committee to present on why lowering the citywide speed limit is a matter of public safety. For more information, please refer to the blog post on this meeting.

+ Plow the Sidewalks Pilot Program

On May 24, 2023, Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) introduced an ordinance (O2023-2104) that would establish the Chicago Plow the Sidewalks Pilot Program, a program that would transfer snow clearing responsibilities from property owners to the City. The purpose of this program is to improve sidewalk mobility for all Chicagoans, including but not limited to those with disabilities, children, and the elderly.

On July 19, 2023, the City Council passed a substitute ordinance (SO2023-0002851) by a vote of 49-1. This ordinance established the creation of a working group of representatives from various city departments, such as CDOT, Streets and Sanitation, the Office of Budget Management, the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, and others. The ordinance also requires the working group to present their recommendations for the Pilot Program to the Committee by May 31, 2024.

The working group held its first community stakeholder meeting in December 2023 followed by additional meetings in February and April 2024. Community stakeholders included representatives from AARP, Better Streets Chicago, Access Living, Equiticity, Active Transportation Alliance, Metropolitan Planning Council, Shared Use Mobility Center, and Southwest Collective.

+ NASCAR

At the May 31, 2023 City Council meeting, Alderman La Spata introduced a resolution (R2023-795) calling on the Committee of Pedestrian and Traffic Safety to hold a hearing on the impacts of street closures for the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220 and NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 121 Chicago Street Race. The resolution was co-sponsored by Alds. Robinson (4), Cruz (30), Vasquez, Jr. (40), and Reilly (42).

The resolution also called for the hearing to involve relevant representatives from city departments, NASCAR, the Chicago Park District, and CTA. The resolution was referred to the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety. The hearing was held at the Committee’s meeting on June 14, 2023 and to date is the only time the City Council has discussed the NASCAR races in an official capacity.

Block Club Chicago: NASCAR Pledges Safety–And Big Money for City–Ahead of July Street Race

WGN-TV: City Council holds hearing on pedestrian and traffic safety during NASCAR street race

+ Crash Ordinance

On June 21, 2023, Ald. Deborah Silverstein (50) introduced an ordinance (O2023-0001253) amending the Municipal Code Title 9 by adding new Chapter 9-116 entitled "Traffic Crash Review and Analysis." The ordinance was initially referred to the Committee on Transportation and Public Way before being re-referred to the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety on July 19, 2023.

A substitute ordinance (SO2023-0001253) was passed at the September 14, 2023 City Council Meeting. The ordinance requires CDOT to conduct an analysis of each fatal crash reported to CPD, conduct periodic traffic crash analyses, identify potential actions to improve traffic safety, and provide reports on these analyses to the public. The following alderpeople co-sponsored the ordinance:

Ald. Daniel La Spata (1)
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2)
Ald. Nicole Lee (11)
Ald. Julia Ramirez (12)
Ald. Silvana Tabares (23)
Ald. William Conway (34)
Ald. Samantha Nugent (39)
Ald. Bennett Lawson (44)
Ald. Jim Gardiner (45)
Ald. Matt Martin (47)
Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48)
Ald. Maria Hadden (49)

+ Pretextual Traffic Stops

On September 13, 2023, Ald. La Spata introduced a resolution (R2023-0004214) calling for a subject matter hearing on pretextual police traffic stops in Chicago and their impact on Black and Latine residents and the policy solutions the City should pursue to create a safer, more racially equitable system of traffic safety and enforcement. The resolution was referred to the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety.

The following alderpeople are co-sponsors of the resolution:

Ald. Desmon Yancy (5)
Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22)
Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25)
Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26)
Ald. Jason Ervin (28)
Ald. Ruth Cruz (30)
Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez (33)
Ald. Andre Vasquez Jr. (40)
Ald. Matt Martin (47)
Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48)
Ald. Maria Hadden (49)

The subject matter hearing was held on November 13, 2023 and can be watched here (subject matter hearing begins at 35:32). During the hearing, members of the Free2Move coalition, an alliance of advocates and community members aiming to create a more equitable system of traffic safety, and Impact for Equity presented the findings of a series of reports on the scope and impact of traffic safety and policy solutions to end pretextual traffic stops in Chicago.

Due to pending litigation, no city personnel, including members of the Chicago Police Department, were present at this hearing.

Chicago Sun-Times: A 3-point plan to curb excessive traffic stops of Black, Brown drivers

Hyde Park Herald: Pretextual traffic stops target Black and Brown drivers, new report finds

+ Chicago Cycling Strategy

On November 15, 2023, Ald. Ruth Cruz (30) introduced a resolution (R2023-0005954) calling for a subject matter hearing on Chicago's Cycling Strategy and CDOT’s plans to create a community-based cycling system that prioritizes bicyclist safety. The resolution was referred to the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety. Ald. La Spata is a co-sponsor of this resolution.

The subject matter hearing was held in January 2024 and included CDOT Complete Streets Director Dave Smith. Click here to watch the recording of the hearing (subject matter hearing begins at 44:00).

+ Complete Streets

On February 6, 2024, the Committee held a subject matter hearing on Chicago’s Complete Streets Guidelines pursuant to section 10-14 of the Chicago Municipal Code. The City’s Complete Streets initiative aims to design and maintain our roadways in a way that prioritizes safe access for all who use them, including pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit vehicles.

Several representatives from CDOT, including then Acting Commissioner Tom Carney, attended the meeting. Commissioner Carney led the presentation, displaying and discussing the different elements of the guidelines and showing examples of the elements in completed projects around the city. Click here to view the full meeting (subject matter hearing begins at 53:34).

To learn more about Chicago’s Complete Streets Programs, please visit chicago.gov/completestreets.

This page is maintained by the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety staff.