The City of Chicago is pleased to submit the Reconnecting West Side Communities project for the Reconnecting Communities grant. Thoughtful planning and meaningful engagement are critical tools to address historic inequities in Chicago’s West Side. While many communities throughout the City of Chicago face challenges related to equitable transportation options, job access, and historic disinvestment, the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) presents a particular challenge to Chicago’s West Side neighborhoods in the form of a physical barrier. Constructed in the 1950s, the expressway removed homes and businesses, displacing entire communities. Recognizing the harmful legacy of these past actions, the City of Chicago hopes to set a new course by improving community safety, cohesion, and quality of life through enhanced connectivity over and around this interstate highway.
This website has been created to compile the grant application and supporting appendices, including: