This features reporting by James Porter and was written up by John Greenfield. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are by James.
There’s an old saying, “You can’t dance at two weddings with one behind.” So it was a bit of a challenge for Streetsblog Chicago when the Grand Avenue Committee announced it will hold weekly protests against the Grand Avenue Complete Streets project in West Town on the North Side, every week on Monday between 4 and 6 p.m.
The tricky part is that Mondays during the evening rush are the exact same time as the very similar protests against the Archer Avenue traffic safety project in Brighton Park on the Southwest Side, which I’ve been trying to chronicle on a weekly basis. Read our post about last Monday’s Archer event here.
The first phase of the Grand Avenue initiative, between Chicago Avenue (which intersects with Grand at about 2900 W.) and Damen Avenue. It was completed in July 2024.
The plan for the upcoming second phase, on Grand’s more retail-dense Damen to Ogden Avenue, got a positive response from the many residents who attended two previous community meetings. But recently, some residents, merchants, and suburbanites have pushed back against the coming conversion of mixed-traffic lanes and car parking spots to make room for pedestrian infrastructure, bus boarding islands, and protected bike lanes. Earlier this month, the opponents announced the weekly demonstrations against the plan.
Back to the issue of trying to cover two weekly protests in different parts of town at the same time, Streetsblog Chicago is a shoestring operation. The goal for our total 2026 budget – which covers staff, freelancers, and the general expenses of keeping the site afloat – is less than the lowest Chicago aldermanic salary. (Please feel free to make a tax-deductible donation here if you haven’t already. Thanks!)…