49th WARD

PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING INITIATIVE

April 25, 2015
ELECTION RESULTS
THE PROCESS
In the sixth annual 49th Ward Participatory Budgeting Election, 49th Ward Alderman Joe
Moore asked the residents of the 49th Ward to decide directly how to spend $1 million of his
$1.3 million capital budget for 2015. The remaining $300,000 will be used to cover cost overruns from last years budget and provide a small discretionary pool of funds for emergencies.
Over the past six months, 49th Ward residents identified needs, researched projects, and
prepared full spending proposals.
Beginning April 18, 2015, with early voting, and culminating in an election held on April 25,
2015, all 49th Ward residents age 16 and over, regardless of citizenship or voter registration
status, were invited to vote on two separate ballot questions. First, they voted on the percentage
of the ward infrastructure budget that would be devoted exclusively to street resurfacing, street
lighting and sidewalk repairs. Second, they voted on how the remainder of the wards
infrastructure ballot should be allocated. Each voter was entitled to vote for up to four (4)
projects. Ballots were cast by 1,841 ward residents.
Alderman Moore pledges to submit to the City of Chicago and its sister agencies for
implementation the projects that won the most votes, up to $1 million. All the projects listed on
the ballot are feasible, but most require final approval from the City of Chicago or its sister
agencies. Though Alderman Moore has received tentative approval for the projects from the
various City agencies, he cannot guarantee they will grant final approval to each and every
project request at the estimated cost.
Reasons that projects may not be approved or implemented at a different cost include:
interference with previously planned projects, legal restrictions, unforeseen price increases, and
policy decisions of the governmental entities.
Required project approval procedures may prevent some projects from being completed this
year. Funds for projects not completed this year will be held in reserve and used to complete
the projects in the following year(s). For up-to-date information on the status of the various
projects, visit http://www.ward49.com/participatory-budgeting/, call 773-338-5796, or
email ward49@cityofchicago.org.
The 49th Ward is the first political jurisdiction in the nation to implement a participatory
budgeting process, and Alderman Moore has made it a permanent fixture in the ward.

THE RESULTS
Referendum on Street and Alley Resurfacing and Sidewalk Repairs
Voters were asked to vote for a specific percentage of the 2015 ward infrastructure budget
that should be devoted exclusively to street and alley resurfacing and sidewalk repairs. The
percentages were set forth in increments of 10, ranging from 0% to 100%. The votes on this
question were tallied and an average calculated to determine the percentage of the 2015 ward
infrastructure budget that will be devoted exclusively to street resurfacing, street lighting and
sidewalk repairs.
Below are the results of the referendum:
Average Percentage: 62%
Portion of 2015 Capital Budget that will be devoted to street and alley resurfacing and
sidewalk repairs: $620,000
The average estimated cost for the first five blocks of resurfaced streets is $38,000 per block. Due to
federal requirements for accessibility ramps, the average estimated cost for any street resurfaced
after the first five blocks is $66,500 per block. The average estimated cost for the first alley
resurface is $29,500. The estimated cost for subsequent alleys is $47,500 each. The estimated
cost for a new alley apron (the area located at the mouth of the alley between the sidewalk and
the street) is estimated at $10,000. The average estimated cost to replace a block of sidewalk is
$75,000. (Note: the costs given are at 2014 ratesrates for 2015 are not yet available.)

Based on the above calculations, below is how the 2015 PB budget will be allocated:
Estimated number of blocks of resurfaced streets: 6
Estimated number of blocks of resurfaced alleys: 4
Estimated number of blocks of repaired sidewalks: 2
Prior to the vote, the members of the 49th Ward Participatory Budgeting Initiative Streets
Committee identified and prioritized the streets in the 49th Ward most in need of resurfacing.
Below in priority order are the blocks Alderman Moore will submit for street resurfacing
in his 2015 budget:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

6600 N. RavenswoodAlbion to North Shore

6700 N. RavenswoodNorth Shore to Pratt
7450-7500 N. DamenFargo to Birchwood
7400-7450 N. HoyneJarvis to Fargo
1900-1950 W. FargoWolcott to Winchester
7000-7034 N. Glenwood (west of the CTA tracks)Lunt to Greenleaf

Prior to the vote, the members of the 49th Ward Participatory Budgeting Initiative Traffic and
Public Safety Committee identified and prioritized the alleys most in need of resurfacing and
alley aprons most in need of repair (note: an alley apron is the area located at the mouth of
the alley between the sidewalk and the street). Below in priority order are the blocks
Alderman Moore will submit for alley resurfacing and alley apron repair:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

7600 N. Rogers (alley between Rogers and Jonquil, Greenview and Sheridan)
7600 N. Bosworth (alley between Bosworth and Willye White Park, Howard and Jonquil)
7400 N. Sheridan (alley between Sheridan and Greenview, Jarvis and Fargo)
7450 N. Sheridan (alley between Sheridan and Greenview, Fargo and Birchwood)
6814 N. Ravenswood (alley apron only)

Prior to the vote, the members of the 49th Ward Participatory Budgeting Initiative Traffic and
Public Safety Committee identified and prioritized the sidewalks most in need of repair. Below in
priority order are the sidewalk locations Alderman Moore will submit for repair:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

7423 N. Ridge
2120 W. Fargo
7441 N. Ridge
7301-7333 N. Ridge
7061-7069 N. Ridge
7001-7027 N. Ridge
2025-2041 W. Jarvis

Please note that several blocks of streets will be resurfaced this year after new water line
installation is completed:
1200-1400 W. FarwellSheridan to Greenview
1600-1700 W. GreenleafAshland to Clark

Winning Projects
Below are the proposed projects that received a sufficient number of votes to obtain funding
from the remaining portion Alderman Moores 2015 capital budget ($380,000):
Proposed Project

Estimated Cost

Votes Cast

Park Improvements

$ 140,000

1,054

$ 68,000

984

Install new drinking fountain in the hallway of Pottawattomie Park, as the only
current drinking fountain is in the mens washroom; install an outdoor drinking
fountain at Goldberg Playlot; and install gates at Goldberg and Harold Washington
Playlots to keep kids safely in the play area

More Trees for Rogers Park

Plant 100 new trees across the 49th Ward to replace lost trees and increase the green
canopy

Winning Projects (cont.)

Proposed Project
Improved Pedestrian Crossing at Clark and Chase

Estimated Cost

Votes Cast

$ 20,000

842

$ 14,000

752

$ 30,000

632

$ 100,000

598

Install curb cuts, accessible ramps, a crosswalk and signage at the north side of
Chase crossing Clark, making travel between the Chicago Math and Science
Academy and Touhy Park safer for pedestrians.

New Bus Benches

Install bus stop benches at six locations, including Clark and Rogers (both sides),
Clark and Birchwood, Howard and Sheridan, Rogers and Greenview, and
Ashland and Morse.

Underpass Murals
Only a few unpainted underpasses remain in Rogers Park. This project would paint
five murals on the following viaduct walls: Metra viaduct at Lunt (north and south
walls); CTA viaduct at Albion (north and south walls); and the CTA viaduct at
North Shore (south wall only).

Mini Astroturf Soccer Field at Langdon Park

Replace an old, unused basketball court with a space for kids to practice soccer

Total

$ 372,000

Runner-up Projects
The following proposed projects failed to receive a sufficient number of votes to obtain funding
from Alderman Moores 2015 capital budget.
Proposed Project
Artistic Street Identifiers on Clark Street

Estimated Cost

Votes Cast

$ 102,000

401

$ 47,000

398

$ 150,000

333

Install 17 artistic street identifiers on Clark Street, from Howard to Albion, one on
every other block. These signs would beautify Clark Street, spur economic development
and celebrate ethnic diversity.

Mosaic on Two Exterior Walls of New Field School

Create a bricolage mural (a fusion of mosaic, sculpture, painting, and photo transfer
on two exterior walls of New Field School. The Mosaic would be created by youth
and community members.

Kayak Storage Facility at Leone Beach Park

Install a free-standing storage structure for 50-80 kayaks at Leone Beach Park..