The Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety, chaired by Alderman La Spata, is one of the twenty committees within Chicago’s City Council. The committee oversees all matters relating to pedestrian and traffic safety within the city, including safe streets, sidewalks, crossing signals, bike lanes, and more. Click here to view a full list of committee members, including Vice Chair Ruth Cruz (30).

Officially, the committee operates under the following mandate:

The Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety shall have jurisdiction over all orders, ordinances, resolutions and matters relating to regulating vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic, on or off street parking, public safety, highways, grade separations, protected bicycle lanes, Chicago bicycle and pedestrian plans and studies, Chicago metropolitan area traffic studies and highway development, and matters generally affecting the Bureau of Street Traffic and the Bureau of Parking, the Police Traffic Bureau, and public and private organizations dealing with traffic and bicycle and pedestrian safety.

What does the committee do?

The committee works with all 50 aldermen to pass routine sign ordinances within their wards including stop signs, loading zones, residential and disabled parking restrictions, and more. The committee staff also works with city, state and county transportation departments including the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), and the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways (DoTH) to support policies and procedures that are rooted in equity and put pedestrian safety at the center. Finally, the committee works alongside community organizers in the safe streets space to advance policy that helps improve road safety and connectivity across the city.

How can I engage with the committee’s work?

The committee meets at least once a month at City Hall. Meeting notices are posted at least 48 hours in advance on the City Clerk’s Website. That page also includes the agenda (which must also be posted 48 hours in advance) and previous meeting notices, agendas, summary reports, and recordings. Coming soon we will have a Committee Calendar that includes both Committee and Council meetings as well as opportunities to engage with the committee outside of City Hall and broader pedestrian and traffic safety advocacy opportunities. In addition, you can read through all ordinances that have been introduced in committee and advanced to the full council by clicking here. You can contact the committee directly by calling (312) 744-3064 or emailing committeeonpedestrianandtrafficsafety@cityofchicago.org

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