The problems continue to 78th street.

This Issue is growing. The stretch from 71st Street to 78th Street is indeed still in need of repair. There are plans to host music events at the USX site. Music usually hosted at the Taste of Chicago is being rerouted to USX site. This is a good thing, bringing traffic to the South Side of Chicago.

The hope of the residents is that the streets will be adequately prepared to avoid the structural compromising devastation caused by Street Vibrations. This is an URGENT matter.

Some work has been done selectively. I guess you have to know somebody. Chicago 311 at it's clout driven best.

Sharon still crusading for the cloutless.

In all fairness, Alderman Jackson's office responded to the need with the private drain program in June of 2010. For some clout ridden reason, our Ward did not get what were promised, adequate repair. After several days of very expert work by Pan Oceanic Engineering, the problem remains and is escalating. I was informed by Pan Oceanic, and witnessed with my own eyes when the street was opened, that there was no connection between my house and the city sewer. I called several years ago and informed 311 that ever since the city began digging in the street that I was getting sewer water backing up in my home. After repeated visit from plumbers and city inspectors I was repeatedly told that the problem was not with the city. 5 plus years later and significant damage later I watched Pan Oceanic work, six men for eight hours the first day. I was made aware that the city sewer had been lined and my house was not reconnected. I was told that this was a very serious problem and that they would make it right. I was told that it was a bad situation very, very serious.

The street is sinking in front of my home, soil is and has been eroding for years since the work was done and my home was not reconnected. The city says they have no record of the work being done. Rouge workers digging holes in the street undermining the structural integrity of homes. At who's request? Why and how could this happen. How many others have had their homes impacted by unauthorized work and resulting damage.... Street Vibrations?

As evidenced by the sink hole at the point of presumed repair, I doubt that I am connected to this day. A similar issue, destructive water back-up, happened with another home on the block several years ago. The repair job was massive. Who owns that house? How was it repaired? When was it built?

I could go on and on.

Long story short... the problem has not been fixed... I have not received response to CSRs coded as urgent. Some other funny things have happened.

I am hoping that our new Mayor brings much needed reform to the management and dissemination of city services by Ward and by individual.

Clout should not be the measurement for delivery of service in a non-malicious homestead preserving way. Why should one be maliciously be driven from their home due to the actions of unscrupulous workers doing the bidding of whom ever greases their palm. This is a real life example of the TV program, Chicago Code.

Accolades to Alderman Jackson for trying. As evidenced by the shameless politics of snow during the 2011 Blizzard, she did not have the clout to get her Ward rescued from the snow until she challenged the deployment of equipment. Thank heaven's the voters could see through the tired Balandic/Byrne move. Here's hoping the new administration will work with us not against us here in our beloved 7th Ward.

I am sorry to say that this issue has not yet been fixed. I am hopeful that the Water Department and CDOT, who will be visiting the residents of the 7th Ward at the request of Alderman Jackson, will detail their plans to protect the residents of the 7th Ward and all who travel these routes. The problem is much worse than anticipated. Most recently, on a stretch of South Shore Drive between 67th and 71st streets, the pavement caved in and a garbage can was placed in the whole to divert motorist over a weekend until the Water Department could come on Monday to fix the problem.

I am quite concerned and hope that there is s comprehensive plan to fix Route 41 prior to the influx of traffic that the mini Lalapalooza featuring Dave Mathews will bring, 70,000 are expected. There are pot holes along the curbs that allow water to infiltrate and escalate the existing soil erosion which is destructive for the home owners resulting destabilization of the ground on which their homes stand. The city has a responsibility to fix the streets properly so this does not occur. The resulting street vibrations can be catastrophic.

The quality of the most recent roadwork on 71st and Coles is regrettable. The tax payers dollars are being wasted with substandard repairs. Motorist cars and lives are put in danger needlessly. They are required to swerve to navigate these areas. Accident are bound to happen.

I am hopeful that something will be done once the magnitude of the problem is highlighted.

We need help.

We remain optimistic that the "City That Works" will work for us too.

Mayor Daley, as he is leaving, says that the city workers work for the citizens. Mayor elect Emanuel says the same.....

The problem continues. However, I am optimistic that help maybe on the way. The Water Department and CDOT are scheduled to meet with the residents of the 7th Ward at the request of Alderman Sandi Jackson. There are also informational meetings being held at the USX site. There is said to be a comprehensive plan to prepare the infrastructure for the influx of traffic expected during the mini music festival this summer in July.

This is such a wonderful time not only for the 7th and 10th Wards, but for the entire South Side of Chicago. The residents are so proud, engaged and hopeful. We are trusting and verifying that our needs will be met as Chicago Lakeside moves toward a brighter future for all.

Keep the Faith

Sharon Louis

Hi All,

There was another cave in on South Shore Drive at 78th street. This time it was large enough for a car to fall in. There are barricades and work has been done to repair that location. I assure you that the entire street stretch needs to be fixed before someone gets seriously hurt.

Summer is here and all will be going to the beach, the Dave Matthews Concert or just biking the drive. How many sink holes have to fall in before this major roadway is fixed? Why is this issue not important. The existing residents deserve service.

We are watching. Time is running out before the influx of concert traffic.

If the road is not fixed, will traffic be diverted?

Call 311 and asked that South Shore drive be fixed to save our homes.

Is your house shaking????

Hi All,

I am sorry to say the saga continues and the clock is ticking.

I recently visited the USX site. The preparation for the Dave Matthews Concert is well underway. July 8th through the 11th we will be inundated with concert goers. 74,000 tickets per day have already been sold. It is going to be something the South Side has never seen. Three concert stages, mini Taste of Chicago and other attractions.

South Shore Drive remains in extremely dangerous condition and the home owners continue to be at risk.

No one knows what happened several years ago when the 73rd Street block was dug up and water began breaching homes. The new saga is that they,DWM, cannot, cannot find my water supply to turn off the water for work to be conducted at my home. A day of digging and destabilizing the tree in front of my house leads city workers to believe that the pipe is under the tree. Now, the tree must come down. What a shame. Now I am waiting on the Forestry Department.

The digging has escalated the street vibrations, the earth has been disturbed and not properly compacted, the water that can not be shut off, saturating the soil in the back of my house and my bricks are sucking up water. I have a dehumidifier running 24/7 which has to be emptied several times a day. The destruction to 118 year old bricks is devastating.

I am at my wits end with this. I am vigilant however. I spoke with CDOT to determine why nothing has been done about the street vibrations. Why has no one come to cover the compromised area with a metal plate until adequate repairs can be done. It is my understanding that street vibration issues are to be resolved within 30 days. I reported this in November or early December. Why do I have to provide a chronology for CDOT to do the repairs. I am at a lost. While two departments are having a standoff, the damage to my home escalates. Does it matter who is at vault? Fix the problem and place blame later.

The ginormous pot holes in front of 7337 SSD make bad matters worse. It appears that the advance crew was exploring and has left a very dangerous situation for motorist.

The side walk continues to sink. the street vibrations have escalated and the Dave Matthews traffic is coming. South Shore Drive deserved the same degree of preparation that 83rd Street received.

Who is responsible for this???? How can work be done on a major thoroughfare and no one be aware. Who is pulling the strings and why?

Always question when work is being done in front of your home or block. Get names departments and work order numbers. These are your tax dollars at work. They should be working for us not against us. FOIA, Freedom of Information ACT, if you must. You have a right to the information.

All city departments need to cooperate to provide service. DWM, Forestry and CDOT please work together to resolve these issues. My home is in jepoardy.

HELP!!!!! We cannot survive without service. Save our homes.

Hi All,

I am sorry to say that he street has not been repaired.

Father's Day a father and son were out for a bike ride. The father was in the lead headed north. The father swerved left to avoid some large pot holes along the curb then right to avoid pot holes in the center of the street in front of 7337 S. South Shore Drive. Unfortunately, the son, trailing the father, could only see the potholes along the curb and steered left into the pot holes in the center. WIPE OUT!!!!

He was wearing a helmet.:) He sustained some bad scrapes to knees and arms and maybe injuries to places I could not see. The father also fell hearing his sons blood curdling screams. Thank goodness there was no cars approaching.

I was reminded that I have failed to mention that this route is a designated bike route. This wipe out had a happy ending with minor injuries and no motor vehicle involvement. Cars are required to swerve to navigate pot holes and craters in Route 41, South Shore Drive, bikers must as well.

Most recently some tar has been deposited in some of the pot holes. This just is not enough. Please do something before someone is seriously injured or worse.

The Dave Matthews Concert is upon us and the major repairs that were afforded 83rd Street did not take place on South Shore Drive. I hope there are plans to divert traffic in that direction and no longer plans to make South Shore Drive a one way main route to the Mini Lalapalooza. The residents on South Shore Drive would be the big Loozers.

Our needs still have not been met.

On a personal note, the city has done work in front of my house removing all the sand 12 feet below the surface as well as the mature tree from the parkway in front of my home replacing the well compacted sand with various sizes of rock. The street vibrations have increased and I now feel vibrations from cars as well as buses and larger vehicles.

The restoration process should have be to replace my well compacted 118 year old sand with alternating sprays of water and tamping down to compact in order to avert any possibility of soil erosion. When excavation exceeded 8 feet the entire parkway in front of my house should have been braced. I now know why this work was done in the dark of night. It was not done properly.

I have been in contact with the Water Department who did the work and also the Department of Transportation and the Alderman Sandi Jackson's office. I have been assured that my parkway will be properly restored before July 8th when over 74,000 people per day are expected to attend the concert.

My house is 118 years old and did not have street vibrations before private drain work was performed by the city in the summer of 2010. Another story..... When my parkway was opened I saw the voids that are contributing to the street vibrations I am experiencing. Once again proper restoration was not executed. The underground was not properly compacted.

I am learning and I hope you are as well. We must be informed citizens to receive proper city services.

311 YOUR BLOCK!!!!

Greetings All,

It's been a while but, here is the deal. Back in June of 2011 I requested that my the B-Box, (water shut-off mechanism) in front of my home be located.

Long story short, it took over a month, the DWM dug up the parkway in front of my home over 12 feet down multiple times, cut down my mature tree, dug up my driveway, and dug up half of my neighbors driveway before they found my B-Box located underneath the concrete in my neighbors driveway.

Then the problems really began. During one of the multiple excavations an abandoned stub of gas line was struck and covered over resulting in gas emissions for more than 2 weeks, increased street vibrations repeated excavation and repair by the Peoples Gas.

The DWM has repeatedly denied having lined the sewer in front of my home and failing to reconnect my home to the sewer resulting in water back up settling beneath my home causing soil erosion and saturation of my structural piers and other home stabilizing issues.

I have had meetings with DWM and the Aldermanic office regarding the sub standard parkway restoration causing more soil erosion and street vibrations. Some homes on South Shore Drive have sloped front yards and parkways. It is crucial to have a tree in the parkway to abate soil erosion. But I would imagine you first have to have dirt in your parkway to plant a tree. All of the sand and dirt in front of my home was removed and replace with gravel mix and covered over with a thin layer of dirt. My tree was violently ripped out by slamming the ground with a back hoe to dislodge the trunk and yanking it out by the roots with the same back hoe. No tree has not been replanted.

I am starting to feel like my house is under attack. The repair of the driveway has resulted in a driveway installation significantly lower than the pavement in the roadway and a gully between the two which collects water. Wonder if the soil erosion has anything to do with the lower installation. The ground is sinking in front of my home. The sewer in front of my home is also sinking because there is little or no grout between the bricks in the sewer and the sewer run off from a huge condominium is bypassing two other sewers and being dumped in the broken sewer directly in front of my home. There is a constant flow of water flowing into and leaching out into the ground under the roadway on South Shore Drive. There is no wonder that there are potholes cave ins and street vibrations.

In a city that claims to have no money:

Where do we find money to repeatedly re-repair sub standard work which must be done to preserve our neighborhoods?

Why most the residents project manage their own work to ensure follow through and adequate completion?

Why don't city departments talk to each other to get a good outcome for the residents of Chicago? Don't we pay them enough to expect excellent, complete work?

I am literally getting a pain in my neck. I will have to tell you more later.

Mayor Emmanuel stay on the case.

Still Frustrated,

Sharon

Minor repairs have been made. The underlying problem has not been solved. Street vibrations continue. Cave ins in the middle of the street continue. Black top over a problem does not solve the problem. Water is rushing underground and causing erosion. There appears to be an assault on single family homes. The curb line has gapping openings contributing to soil erosion. I am still feeling the effects of several parkway excavations in excess of 12 feet, substandard restoration, tree removal, driveway and side walk sinking and total lack of project coordination and ordinary care and consideration for city residents. The scope of the problem far exceeds one block.

The care and vigilance employed to create infrastructure for a community that doesn't yet exist, USX, Chicago Lakeside, is evidence that work can be done to a sustainable standard. This is a slap in the face of the existing residents in the Gateway communities.

This impudent assault must stop.

When I enter or exit my driveway, I must mount the roadway because the driveway at 7334 is sinking. The bottom of my car hits the pavement. Why is this type of substandard repair that damages any car allowed. To date this has caused added expense to repair a ruptured gasoline line causing a leak, (which could have been fatal) and a damaged exhaust system. This has been reported to 311. Crews have been out to fix potholes and have ignored this situation created by substandard restoration once again.

Again this is a designated bicycle path and there have been several accidents with cyclist hitting the uneven surface and falling in the street. I suppose someone will have to be hit by a car before it gets fixed. Most recently new stripping has been affixed to the roadway. Why was the condition of the pavement not addressed. Pavement looks pretty but it is very dangerous. Just wait till it snows.

Streets are caving in all over the city.... How sad.

I trust Mayor Emanuel to get to the bottom of these costly do overs. It is just sad that this continues to occur.

Hi All, It has been a while..... No this has not been fixed. As we prepare for USX all dollars have been diverted to the US 41 extension. The plan is to resurface between 71st and 79th South Shore Drive. No restoration work is planned for consideration until 5 years from now when the situation will be reviewed . I must commend CDOT Commissioner, Gabe Klein for actually walking South Shore Drive with me following a meeting where he addressed South Shore residents regarding the plans for US 41. I believe his mind is open to input from the public. I will be taking my concerns to him now that I have relocated his business card. I am once again hopeful. There are more serious depressions along SSD between 71st and 79th. I hardly think restoration can wait 5 years.

Immediately after walking SSD with CDOT Commissioner Gabe Klein, some work was done in the 72nd St block and there appeared to be coordination with Peoples Gas. Now if only the Water Management Department would get on board. I have seen what needs to be done. Look to the restoration work that was done along 67th street from Stony Island east to Euclid. I am hopeful that a new 7th Ward Alderman will get this done. Until then watch where you drive, call 311, get your CSR# and followup. The best is yet to come for South Shore. Time to collaborate with the new powers at CDOT. Commissioner Gabe Klein wants to hear from us.

There are tons of potholes from 71st to 79th street. I thought I blew a tire out last night when I was driving home after dark. When Gabe Klein spoke he said the street would be repaved, not redone, however it seems there's a new sinkhole every few weeks and the potholes don't stay filled. Isn't there supposed to be Reinvestment Act money for this type of thing?
Also, wasn't this to be turned into a one way once US41 was completed? Right now people are parking in the bike lanes, blocking traffic to pick up and drop off Powell students and passing buses using the oncoming traffic lane.

There are tons of potholes from 71st to 79th street. I thought I blew a tire out last night when I was driving home after dark. When Gabe Klein spoke he said the street would be repaved, not redone, however it seems there's a new sinkhole every few weeks and the potholes don't stay filled. Isn't there supposed to be Reinvestment Act money for this type of thing?
Also, wasn't this to be turned into a one way once US41 was completed? Right now people are parking in the bike lanes, blocking traffic to pick up and drop off Powell students and passing buses using the oncoming traffic lane.

There are tons of potholes from 71st to 79th street. I thought I blew a tire out last night when I was driving home after dark. When Gabe Klein spoke he said the street would be repaved, not redone, however it seems there's a new sinkhole every few weeks and the potholes don't stay filled. Isn't there supposed to be Reinvestment Act money for this type of thing?
Also, wasn't this to be turned into a one way once US41 was completed? Right now people are parking in the bike lanes, blocking traffic to pick up and drop off Powell students and passing buses using the oncoming traffic lane.

The 7th Ward is said to have 6.1 mil in unspent TIF dollars. The Water Management Department cleaned the sewers earlier this year. The center of the from 71st to 79th has seen an escalation in caveins all ialong this stretch. This has also resulted in more turbulant street vibrations. How much more proof is needed to substantiate the need for replacement of the century old sewer system? Resurfacing and checking back in five years is not sufficient.

Our new Alderman has worked for IDOT. Perhaps Ms. Holmes will have better insight as to how best to get this stretch of US 41 restored. This will be a fluffy feather in her cap. We must show collective interest and support.

My neighbors front porch is

I think we need CDOT to comment publicly on their plans for the street. I know they said they were going to resurface at some point, but when and is this enough to remedy to ongoing structural problems?

I am happy to report that it appears that South Shore Drive from 71st Street to 79th Street has been fixed. I must commend CDOT Commissioner Gabe Klein for hearing the residents of South Shore and responding with repair.

We thank you for your support and leadership in collaboration with the other city departments and utilities to accomplish this much needed resurfacing. We look forward to your continued partnership with all residents of South Shore.

Sincerely,

Sharon C. Louis

Thanks for fixing this issue!