Mayor Brandon Johnson announces plan to test free sidewalk shoveling in four parts of Chicago

CBS Chicago / by Todd Feurer / June 2, 2024

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor Brandon Johnson announced a plan on Friday to test whether the city should take over responsibility for shoveling Chicago's sidewalks during winter storms.
The Johnson administration is recommending the City Council approve $1.1 million to $3.5 million in funding for a "Plow The Sidewalks" pilot program in four areas of the city during the winter of 2025-26.
The City Council would be asked to vote on the pilot program as part of the mayor's 2025 budget plan, which will come up for a vote in October or November.
"Chicago is a world-class city, and as a world-class city, it must be accessible for our seniors and individuals living with disabilities in the winter months during periods of heavy snow and ice," Johnson said in a news release. "Our Plow the Sidewalks pilot program is an example of how our administration is committed to addressing the needs of all Chicagoans, and today is an important step forward in building a safer city where no resident is left behind." 
The Chicago Department of Transportation would be tasked with overseeing the program, and would enlist both city workers and private contractors to shovel sidewalks in four pilot zones whenever at least 2 inches of snow has fallen in the city within 24 hours. Read More Here