Lead Service Lines
Small Business Wins Amid Federal Funding Uncertainty
The City of Chicago this month announced four new contracts totaling over $1.67 million for lead service line replacement work, awarded to three small local construction companies owned by minorities and women. The contracts come through the Lead Service Line Replacement Small Business Initiative, which modified insurance and bonding requirements to make participation more accessible to small and diverse firms.
"Small and diverse businesses are the heartbeat of our local economy," Mayor Brandon Johnson said in the announcement. Additional water and sewer projects are expected to be advertised in Q1 2026.
But the backdrop to this local progress is concerning: Senator Tammy Duckworth is calling for restoration of $125 million that was cut from federal lead service line replacement funding in a recent spending package. The cut came from unspent portions of the $15 billion originally allocated in November 2021.
Chicago faces a particularly steep challenge. Lead service lines connect more homes to water mains here than in any other American city - a legacy of nearly a century of regulations requiring lead pipes for single-family homes and small apartment buildings. City crews have replaced less than 4% of Chicago's more than 400,000 lead service lines since the effort began five years ago. Plans call for 10,000 replacements this year at a cost of $300 million, scaling up to 15,000 in 2027 and 19,000 in 2028. While federal rules require all lead lines removed by 2034, Chicago received a waiver extending its deadline to 2077.
Meanwhile, 70 homes in nearby Elgin recently tested well over federal limits for lead in water, a reminder that this issue extends throughout the region.
Bike Infrastructure
Record Ridership, But South Loop Project Hits the Brakes
Chicagoans took 12.9 million trips on shared bikes and scooters in 2025 - the highest annual total on record and nearly 2 million more than the previous year. Divvy accounted for 6.8 million rides while Lime scooters logged 6.1 million. CDOT added 140 new Divvy stations with more than 2,000 new docks and expanded in-station e-bike and scooter charging.
Yet not all news is smooth rolling. Protected bike lane construction on 18th Street in the South Loop has been paused, with some previously installed lane protections actually removed. Alderman Pat Dowell (3rd) requested the pause after constituents raised concerns about emergency vehicle access. CDOT described the move as "standard project monitoring and evaluation" and said work would resume in spring.
Cyclist Viktor Koves, who observed traffic improvements after the protected lanes were installed, pushed back: "The goal of a protected intersection design is not to improve traffic. The goal is to save lives and create a safer space in an urban environment."
The Grand Avenue bike lane project also faces opposition, with a coalition of businesses and groups calling for the city to scrap protected bike lane plans in favor of dedicated bus lanes for the second phase running east from Damen to Ogden.
Vegan Food
Wave of Closures Hits Chicago's Plant-Based Scene
The Chicago Diner closed its Logan Square location on December 12, 2025, joining at least four other vegan or plant-based restaurants that shuttered in late 2025: Kitchen 17 (Avondale, after 13 years), Native Foods (Loop), and Chicago Raw (Streeterville, after 16 years). Bloom Plant Based Kitchen will close February 21.
The reasons are multifaceted. Sam Toia, president of the Illinois Restaurant Association, noted that "an all-vegan restaurant no longer holds the same necessity as it once did" - mainstream restaurants now widely offer plant-based options. Rising labor and supply costs, thin margins, reduced foot traffic, and what nutrition experts call "plant-based fatigue" have all contributed.
Chicago Diner owner Michael Hornick cited logistics challenges like parking, and noted the difficulty of sustaining a full-service diner model. Nemanja Golubovic of Kale My Name pointed to Chicago's long winters and seasonal foot traffic: "People do not typically travel across the city just for food unless it feels truly special."
The Lakeview Chicago Diner location remains open, as it has since 1983. And Golubovic remains optimistic: "The restaurants that survive and thrive will be the ones that adapt, build community, and offer something beyond what people can get everywhere else."
Abundance Agenda
ADU Ordinance Goes Citywide in April
Chicago's Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) program will expand citywide and become permanent on April 1, 2026, following a unanimous 46-0 City Council vote in September 2025. ADUs - small homes either inside existing buildings or in detached structures behind houses - were largely banned in 1957 but have been permitted in five pilot areas since May 2021. The expansion should help address Chicago's housing supply constraints, as 41% of the city is currently zoned for only single-family homes or two-flats.
At the state level, House Bill 1814 would eliminate single-family zoning in Illinois municipalities with populations over 10,000, allowing multi-unit development on most residential lots. Governor Pritzker has endorsed the reforms.
The city's "Cut the Tape" initiative continues to streamline the Zoning Board of Appeals, reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks through better processes rather than additional funding.
Today's City Council meeting addressed mostly routine matters including zoning reclassifications and parking permits. The Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy meets February 3rd - we'll keep an eye out for any lead or sustainability-related items on the agenda.