Best Practice

BEST PRACTICE:

A2−1: Mayor's Transportation Management Task Force

DESCRIPTION:

The transportation management task force is a multi−agency task force that meets once a week to review city−wide construction and maintenance activities and special events that have the potential to significantly impact traffic throughout the City of Chicago. The task force compiles a list of projects and groups the items according to geographic location. The list goes beyond roadway projects to include sewer, utility, maintenance, building construction, and other kinds of construction that impact traffic flow. The task force also takes into account upcoming special events. The projects considered by the task force to have the greatest impact to traffic are included in a "Mayor's Weekly Traffic Bulletin," with new or priority projects/events highlighted at the top. The locations throughout the City are broken down in the bulletin by downtown, expressways/major arterials such as the Eisenhower or Chicago Skyway, the Central Area of Chicago, Chicago's North/Northwest areas, the West/Southwest areas and by the South/Southeast areas. The bulletins also indicate basic information relative to the type of work, such as resurfacing, reconstruction, restoration/rehabilitation, utility, etc. All Aldermanic Offices and a multitude of other agencies, such as police and community organizations, regularly receive the weekly "Mayor's Bulletin" and task force meeting minutes. The task force and bulletin have been in−place since 1982.

REASON(S) FOR ADOPTING:

Initially started in response to office building construction and infrastructure projects that were occurring simultaneously throughout the Central Business District, the city surveyed all such activities which might adversely impact traffic flow and began coordinating efforts to help motorists drive through construction work zones of all kinds.

PRIMARY BENEFIT(S):

By meeting and formulating coordinated traffic flow mitigation efforts, the task force can provide the motoring public advance notice of construction projects and events for the weekend and following week. This enables the public to plan ahead and even avoid, all together, areas where construction activities are going to occur.

MOST APPLICABLE LOCATION(S)/PROJECT(S):

Types of facilities include all of Chicago's freeways, streets, 2−lane/2−way highways, bridges, and even major building construction sites.

STATE(S) WHERE USED:

Illinois

SOURCE/CONTACT(S):

Thomas Korty, Manager, Policy & Safety Unit, Illinois DOT Central Office
Phone: (217) 782−2984
E−mail: thomas.korty@illinois.gov