2016 Repaved Streets Moves Chicago To Better Transportation

CHICAGO (CBS) – Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Wednesday more than 175 miles of Chicago streets have been repaved in 2016.

With this many streets paved, Chicago is moving closer towards a 21st century transportation system.

More than 1,500 miles of streets have been repaved in the last five years by the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), Department of Water Management (DWN), and private utilities.

"All across the City of Chicago, we are making steady progress modernizing our streets and improving quality of life in our neighborhoods," Mayor Emanuel said in a statement. "City crews are working hard and taking advantage of construction season to get as many miles of streets repaved as possible this year."

CDOT has repaved, to this date, more than 470 blocks of residential streets, plus more than 25 miles of arterial streets and 18 miles of alleys. DWM has repaved more than 72 miles of city streets, all a part of a program to restore streets with new water mains and/or sewers.

"CDOT and our partners have been working hard to deliver 21st Century infrastructure in every corner of the City of Chicago," CDOT Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld said in a statement. "Since 2011, we have repaved more than one-third of the City's streets."

Repavement projects start in the coming weeks on a number of arterial streets, including resurfacing from:

- Ashland from 119th Street to 123rd Street
- Clark from Wacker to Randolph
- Elston from Addison to Diversey
- Kostner from 26th Street to 31st Street
- Martin Luther King Drive from 51st Street to Marquette
- State Street from Congress to 9th Street
- 99th from Genoa to Halsted

Pavement work is also in progress on:

- Broadway from Devon Avenue to Foster Avenue
- California Avenue from 63rd Street to Marquette Road
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive from 87th Street to 95th Street
- Pershing Road from State Street to Cottage Grove Avenue
- Yates Boulevard from 79th Street to South Chicago Avenue