💻 From Under the El
Did you have a good weekend, Chicago? It was beautiful outside, so I hope you took advantage of it. Now it may be Monday (and back to being chilly out), but there’s still plenty of good news to cover. Let’s get to it.
⏰ tl;dr
The CTA isn’t giving up on its major capital projects — it’s suing the federal government to restart funding for the Red Line
Southwest Side business corridors are getting new funding to fill vacant storefronts and support local shops
A new gala at the South Shore Cultural Center is raising money for mental health and community advocacy
🌻 What’s Going Right In Chicago Today
Image credit: CTA
🚆 CTA takes the fight to court over stalled Red Line funding
The CTA is escalating its fight to keep two of Chicago’s most significant transit projects alive, filing a federal lawsuit to restore funding for the Red Line Extension and Red & Purple Modernization projects.
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is suing the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) over federal grant funding that was committed, then paused in October of last year. At stake is nearly $2 billion in federal funding for the Red Line Extension alone, a project that would stretch service 5.3 miles south.
“We are fully committed to the success of these projects, and we will take every step necessary to ensure that they move forward. The Red Line Extension is an historic investment into the Far South Side of Chicago that will transform public transit and create new economic opportunity for the communities it will serve. Additionally, our work on the Red and Purple Modernization Project, which is ongoing, has resulted in four new, fully accessible and modern stations. These are both meaningful, impactful projects and we are working closely with community leaders, elected officials and other stakeholders to ensure that both are seen through to completion.”
The Red & Purple Modernization Project, which began in 2019, is rebuilding century-old tracks and rail stations to make the tracks smoother, faster, and quieter and make the stations modern and fully accessible.
🌎 Chicago joins national legal fight over climate protections
The city is stepping in to defend long-standing clean air protections tied directly to public health.
Chicago is joining a coalition of states and cities pushing back against a federal move to roll back a key climate ruling: the 2009 Endangerment Finding, which underpins limits on vehicle emissions.
The coalition now includes 24 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 12 cities and counties, who are all working together to challenge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to rescind the Endangerment Finding. The 2009 Endangerment Finding was the result of years of scientific analysis and review by the EPA that determined that emissions from motor vehicles contribute to air pollution that harms public health and welfare. It provided the foundation that allows the EPA to set federal standards for lowering motor vehicle emissions.
“Even when science is being challenged and our safety is threatened by the Trump administration, Chicago continues to fight to protect our residents. By filing this petition, we are taking steps to uphold that commitment to Chicagoans. We are ready and willing to do what it takes to protect every community, especially our Black and Brown communities, which are the most vulnerable to climate change. We will continue to fight side by side with our fellow cities, counties, and states to ensure continued access to clean air.”
The city argues the rollback ignores both established science and legal precedent, and could have serious consequences for public health, especially in communities already facing environmental burdens.
🛍 Southwest side corridors are getting a much-needed boost after Operation Midway Blitz
New funding is helping bring small businesses back to some of the city’s most important neighborhood shopping streets.
Three major Latino business corridors on the Southwest Side are getting new support as they work to recover from the economic fallout of Operation Midway Blitz. The city awarded $250,000 total to Latinos Progresando and the Little Village Chamber of Commerce to help activate vacant storefronts along Cermak Road and 26th Street in Little Village, while a separate effort is also providing help to businesses on Archer Avenue.
The funding will help entrepreneurs cover rent and offer hands-on support with things like marketing, signage, online branding, and operations. Along West Cermak Road, Latinos Progresando plans to help launch pop-up shops in vacant spaces, with the hope that some of those businesses will stay for the long haul. On 26th Street, the chamber wants to fill four vacant storefronts through similar support.
This is where small business owners are making their money for their families, community members come out to shop and come out to work.
According to Latinos Progresando, businesses in majority-Mexican neighborhoods have seen steep drops in daily sales since Midway Blitz began, and vacancies on Cermak have risen since the start of the pandemic. This funding will help some of the city’s most important neighborhood business corridors stabilize, recover, and keep serving as economic anchors for the communities around them.
🗓️ Eye On the Chi
Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights Hearing
A public hearing focused on housing barriers facing immigrant and refugee communities in Chicago.
When: March 25, 10:30 a.m.
Where: City Hall
PhillipsSims Inaugural Gala Fundraiser
An evening of music, food, and community support raising funds for mental health, wellness, and social justice initiatives.
When: March 27, 5 p.m.
Where: South Shore Cultural Center
💌 Do you have good news of your own? Reply to this email and share your good news. It could be featured in a future issue of Good News, Chicago!
Till next time,
Good News, Chicago
Know someone who could use some good news? Share this newsletter with them ⬇