Construction crews have begun installing raised crosswalks and intersections along Damen
Avenue, part of a larger resurfacing project by the Chicago Department of Transportation
(CDOT) to improve pedestrian safety in the city’s 40th and 47th Wards.
The project officially started on June 23, with work now underway at intersections with Giddings
Street, Ainslie Street, and Berwyn Avenue. Currently, the west side of each intersection is closed
to traffic and will remain so for approximately one week. The east leg of Damen at Ainslie is
also set to close next for about a week once the initial work is complete.
Beginning July 7, the focus will shift to Winnemac Avenue, Leland Avenue, and Winona Street,
where crews will install raised intersections. This phase will require partial closures affecting
southbound traffic on Damen for about two weeks. Drivers are encouraged to take a detour east
via Foster, head south on Wolcott, and rejoin Damen via Wilson Avenue. Despite these changes,
Damen will remain open between Lawrence and Argyle.
Following this, northbound traffic will also be redirected. The recommended detour is west on
Wilson, north via Leavitt, and back to Damen through Foster. This phase, too, will keep the
Lawrence-to-Argyle segment accessible.
Cyclists navigating the area are encouraged to use the Leavitt Street Neighborhood Greenway,
which runs parallel to Damen and provides a safer alternate route.
CDOT highlights several benefits of raised crosswalks, noting the:
– “Encourage drivers to slow down before the crosswalk”
– “Enable people walking to easily cross the street at sidewalk level”
– “Make people crossing more visible to drivers”
This project reflects the city’s continued investment in safer, more walkable neighborhoods, and
supports broader Vision Zero efforts to reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities.
