Kinda wonder who wrote this for him. City of Chicago press release:


Mayor Brandon Johnson Kicks Off Construction Season with Week of Events Highlighting Improvements Across Chicago

The Mayor will spend the week crisscrossing the city to mark the season by jumpstarting work on improvements driving quality of life improvements for Chicagoans while supporting equitable economic development throughout the city.

Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson is joining the City’s Departments and Sister Agencies to celebrate the beginning of the Construction Season 2026 by highlighting projects which are spurring economic development while improving the daily lives of Chicagoans through the Johnson administration’s Build Better Together initiative. Throughout the week, Mayor Johnson will join City officials, advocates, and residents at a series of events celebrating infrastructure and neighborhood development projects being led by City Departments and Sister Agencies.

“Build Better Together is about creating jobs, improving the quality of life for Chicagoans, and ensuring every community shares in the benefits of our investments,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “This week we will be out and about across the city, launching new investments which contribute to our work building safe communities while delivering tangible improvements for Chicagoans. As construction season gets underway, my administration remains committed to working in partnership with community while minimizing disruptions for our residents as we build a better Chicago.”

Construction Season officially beings today with a CDOT-led streetscape improvement project at N. Lockwood Ave. and W. Chicago Ave. in the Austin community. Mayor Johnson joined Ald. Emma Mitts (37th), Acting CDOT Commissioner William Cheaks Jr., and CDOT staff to begin work on the resurfacing project while highlighting one of the latest Complete Streets improvements which have contributed to decreasing traffic fatalities in Chicago.

15 wards—1, 3, 12, 15, 19, 20, 30, 32, 33, 35, 43, 44, 46, 47, and 48—experienced zero traffic fatalities during 2025, marking a promising step forward in road safety and a milestone in the Johnson administration’s mission to achieve Vision Zero across Chicago.

The milestone coincided with historic investment in Complete Streets infrastructure during 2025, including the addition of 26 miles of bikeways, more than 100 bus stop accessibility improvements, nearly 100 new pedestrian refuge islands, and over 740 curb extensions.

The full schedule of construction season kick-off events taking place city-wide throughout the week include:

-Chicago Transit Authority | 51st Street Green Line Station Refresh and Renew Relaunch

Tuesday, April 21 | 10:00–11:00 AM | 319 E. 51st St.

-Public Buildings Commission | Malcom X College Hard Hat Tour

Wednesday, April 22 | 10:00–10:45 AM | 4624 W. Madison St.

-Department of Streets and Sanitation | Tree Planting & Trimming

Wednesday, April 22 | 11:30 AM–12:15 PM | 7344 N. Paulina St.

-Chicago Department of Aviation | Concourse D First Beam Signing

Thursday, April 23 | 12:00–12:45 PM | O’Hare Airport

-Department of Water Management | Sewer Replacement Project

Friday, April 24 | 10:45–11:30 AM | S. Loomis Blvd. & W. 83rd St.

Last year, the City completed significant infrastructure improvements across Chicago including the resurfacing of more than 170 miles of residential, arterial streets, and alleyways; modernizing street lighting across more than 380 blocks; repairing over 3,000 sidewalks; installing of more than 6,000 ADA ramps; and the completion of more than 50 blocks of green alleys to improve drainage in neighborhoods which are most impacted by extreme flooding.

Build Better Together is the Johnson administration’s comprehensive economic development strategy aimed at driving inclusive, sustainable growth in each of Chicago’s 77 diverse community areas while advancing improvements which make the city stronger, safer, and more equitable. The initiative is designed to expand opportunity, remove barriers to progress, and deliver meaningful, people-centered investments that help Chicagoans live, work, and thrive.

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/mayor/press_room/press_releases/2026/april/construction-week-kick-off.html

Any guesses on the percentage of costs (read: tax dollars) wasted here? I'll go anywhere from 33-50%.