The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT /'si:d?t/) is responsible for the safety, environmental sustainability, maintenance, and aesthetics of the surface transportation networks and public ways within the City of Chicago. This includes the planning, design, construction, and management of streets, sidewalks, bridges, and alleys.
CDOT is headed by the Commissioner of Transportation, an appointee and cabinet member of the Mayor of Chicago. The second in command at CDOT is the First Deputy Commissioner, who serves as a liaison between the Commissioner's office and the various operational sections. Managing Deputy Commissioners may also be placed by the Commissioner for assistance in policy and operational oversight.
CDOT is organized into several Divisions each headed by a Deputy Commissioner, including the Divisions of Administration, Project Development, Engineering, In-House Construction, Electrical Operations, Sign Management, Traffic Safety, and Infrastructure Management.
Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews
History
CDOT was established in 1992 when Mayor Richard M. Daley restructured the Chicago Department of Public Works into multiple new Departments. In addition to CDOT, other new departments created under the restructuring included the Department of Streets and Sanitation and the Department of Water Management. John N. LaPlante, who was appointed as Acting Commissioner of Public works in September 1991, continued as the first Acting Commissioner of CDOT.
List of Commissioners
Since the Department's inception in 1992, the position of Commissioner of Transportation has been held by 11 individuals, including 3 official "Acting Commissioners".
Programs and documents
Recent marquee projects have been:
- The LoopLink
- The 606
CDOT oversees the following projects and initiatives:
- BRT Chicago - Bus rapid transit
- Make Way for People
- Divvy - Chicago's Bike Share System
- Chicago Traffic Tracker
- CREATE Program
- Chicago Bicycle Ambassadors
- Safe Routes to School
- Union Station Master Plan
- Wells Bridge Reconstruction
- Addison Underbridge Connection of the North Riverfront Trail
- Chicago Riverwalk
- Navy Pier Flyover
- Project Coordination Office
CDOT has published the following documents:
- Chicago Forward Action Agenda,
- Chicago Pedestrian Plan,
- Streets for Cycling 2020,
- Chicago Complete Streets Design Guidelines,
- Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Guidelines,
- 2014 CDOT Rules and Regulations for Construction in the Public Way
CDOT agenda under Rahm Emanuel and Gabe Klein
When Mayor Rahm Emanuel took office in May 2013, his transportation goals centered around creating large-scale citywide bike- and car- share programs and improving bike lane design and presence in the city, which he seeks to increase at a rate of 25 miles a year. He seeks to add 100 miles of new bike lanes by the end of his first term. Gabe Klein, known for expanding bike lanes in Washington D.C. and starting its bike sharing program, was appointed commissioner of CDOT in May 2011 by Mayor Emanuel. Klein's plans center around creating a more pedestrian-friendly city with buffered bike lanes, a bike-sharing program, and pedestrian head starts on crosswalks. Klein also plans to install video screens to 2,200 lighted city bus shelters. The screens would include bus trackers, car-sharing and bike-sharing inventory, and walking times to nearby destinations.
Chicago Forward
Chicago forward is a two-year plan published by CDOT. The goals of the plan are to increase pedestrian friendliness and safety and to "eliminate all pedestrian, bicycle and overall traffic fatalities within 10 years". Plans outlined in Chicago Forward include increasing countdown pedestrian signals, reconstructing the Torrence Avenue vertical lift bridge over the Calumet River and redesigning the accident-prone Damen-Elston-Fullerton intersection.
Scandals
1992 Chicago Flood
On April 13, 1992, a damaged utility tunnel wall beneath the Chicago River opened into a breach which flooded basements and underground facilities throughout the Chicago Loop with an estimated 250 million US gallons (950,000 m3) of water.
Investigation into the incident revealed that the tunnel damage was a result of new pilings installed near the Kinzie Street Bridge, which created a slow leak that had been discovered in January of that year. Siting a lack of immediate response to the issue, Mayor Richard M. Daley requested Acting Commissioner John N. LaPlante for a letter of resignation after the tunnel was patched and the flood contained.
Upon LaPlante's resignation, Gery J. Chico, Mayor Daley's Deputy Chief of Staff, took control of the Department of Transportation eventually handing the reins to a newly appointed Commissioner, Joseph Boyle.
50/50 Sidewalks
In October 2005, the Chicago Sun-Times reported on CDOT's 50/50 Sidewalk Program. The program was billed as a way for home-owners to evenly split the cost with the city to replace public sidewalks in front of their homes. The report found that most homeowners paid more than 50% of the final construction cost. CDOT subsequently renamed the 40-year-old program to Shared-Cost Sidewalk Program.
Redflex Scandal
In late 2010, executives from Redflex Holdings, the contractor responsible for providing red-light enforcement cameras to CDOT, were implicated in a bribery scandal. The Chicago Tribune reported that a Redflex 'consultant' had been making improper payments to a City of Chicago transportation official, John Bills, who was responsible for overseeing the awarding of contracts for the installation and operation of the widely hated red light camera system. The consultant, Marty O'Malley, who was a long time friend of Bills hired to oversee the Chicago contract, had received US$570,000 in commissions for the contract which had provided approximately US$100 million in revenue for Redflex. A hired investigator found that Redflex had provided Bills with lavish vacations expensed directly on the expense report of Redflex Executive Vice-President Aaron Rosenberg, who had also 'gifted' Bills with trips to the Super Bowl and White Sox spring training over many years, valued at up to US$2 million. In February 2013, Chicago's Department of Procurement Services notified Redflex they would not be considered for an upcoming red light camera RFP.
In April 2012, the Chicago Sun-Times reported on vendor selection improprieties for the new public bike share program. That program contract was awarded to Alta Bicycle Share, however, Josh Squire, the owner of the competing vendor, Bike Chicago, claimed that then current Commissioner Gabe Klein failed to disclose former ties to the winning bidder, specifically that he had worked for Alta in 2011.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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