Michael McCarthy
@michaelmcc.com
urban planner from Chicago
Medill/Northwestern and UIC MUPP
Medill/Northwestern and UIC MUPP
Mariano’s is charging 9% tax on every food item I bought, so that grocery tax elimination thing is going real well. Check your receipts!
January 10, 2026 at 11:49 PM
Mariano’s is charging 9% tax on every food item I bought, so that grocery tax elimination thing is going real well. Check your receipts!
Reposted by Michael McCarthy
In our rapidly warming climate, trees aren't going to drop their leaves until December, so if street sweeping shuts down in late September/early October that's going to result in streets & sidewalks covered in decomposing leaf litter mud.
January 10, 2026 at 9:01 PM
In our rapidly warming climate, trees aren't going to drop their leaves until December, so if street sweeping shuts down in late September/early October that's going to result in streets & sidewalks covered in decomposing leaf litter mud.
Reposted by Michael McCarthy
I will be speaking at this tonight.
January 7, 2026 at 9:07 PM
I will be speaking at this tonight.
Reposted by Michael McCarthy
Kicking off 2026 with some fantastic news: there were zero traffic fatalities in the 1st Ward last year. When we invest in traffic calming infrastructure, we save lives.
January 6, 2026 at 5:07 PM
Kicking off 2026 with some fantastic news: there were zero traffic fatalities in the 1st Ward last year. When we invest in traffic calming infrastructure, we save lives.
Gross
Flood Advisory issued December 28 at 1:17PM CST until December 28 at 6:00PM CST by NWS Chicago IL
Additional Details Here.
Additional Details Here.
December 28, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Gross
It looks terrible out but I should at least go for a walk or something. *cue thunder and lightning*
December 28, 2025 at 4:33 PM
It looks terrible out but I should at least go for a walk or something. *cue thunder and lightning*
90% I didn‘t know the whistle and music questions and I happened to correctly guess the makeup of the school board
✶✶ How closely did you follow Chicago local news in 2025? ✶✶
Take the quiz to find out!
📰 🏙️ 🤓
lauriemerrell.com/chicago-news...
Take the quiz to find out!
📰 🏙️ 🤓
lauriemerrell.com/chicago-news...
Chicago Local News Quiz 2025
Chicago local news quiz 2025
lauriemerrell.com
December 26, 2025 at 8:40 PM
90% I didn‘t know the whistle and music questions and I happened to correctly guess the makeup of the school board
Hell yeah. Legalize 3-flats by right
Another Three-Unit Building Permitted For 4900 Block Of North Damen In Ravenswood
Read more: https://chicagoyimby.com/2025/12/another-three-unit-building-permitted-for-4900-block-of-north-damen-in-ravenswood.html
Read more: https://chicagoyimby.com/2025/12/another-three-unit-building-permitted-for-4900-block-of-north-damen-in-ravenswood.html
December 25, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Hell yeah. Legalize 3-flats by right
Ravenswood/Lawrence Divvy station is broken for the umpteenth time @davidpowe.bsky.social
December 19, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Ravenswood/Lawrence Divvy station is broken for the umpteenth time @davidpowe.bsky.social
Good bot for learning about little unknown streets
December 18, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Good bot for learning about little unknown streets
In which the trib evokes the lawlessness of app-based deliveries via one less “honking SUV” to prop up another lawless tech bro solution we don’t need. No mention of actual issues with snow or blocking people using mobility aids, just a dunk on aldermen doing their jobs by making sound policy.
From the Editorial Board: The delivery robots are fun and friendly; let ’em be and get back to work on the budget. We don’t need another solution to a nonexistent problem.
Editorial: Chill out aldermen, the delivery robots are cute
Let the sandwich robots be. They’re fun additions to our sidewalks.
trib.al
December 13, 2025 at 11:54 PM
In which the trib evokes the lawlessness of app-based deliveries via one less “honking SUV” to prop up another lawless tech bro solution we don’t need. No mention of actual issues with snow or blocking people using mobility aids, just a dunk on aldermen doing their jobs by making sound policy.
I’m sat again for Silent Night, Deadly Night. I think AMC A-list is gonna my birthday present to myself
December 13, 2025 at 4:33 AM
I’m sat again for Silent Night, Deadly Night. I think AMC A-list is gonna my birthday present to myself
Don’t know if the overhead lights on the 5000 series caused it but probably the worst place I’ve an aural migraine
December 13, 2025 at 4:26 AM
Don’t know if the overhead lights on the 5000 series caused it but probably the worst place I’ve an aural migraine
“Agnes, it’s me Billy”
December 12, 2025 at 5:38 AM
“Agnes, it’s me Billy”
Reposted by Michael McCarthy
Right now, Chicago City Council is weighing drastic cuts to the very safety programs that have driven this unprecedented drop in severe injuries and fatalities on our streets — cuts that would mean more dangerous speeding, more violent crashes, and more families grieving loved ones taken too soon.
Tell Chicago lawmakers: Don't cut funding for safe streets | Active Transportation Alliance
According to the Chicago Department of Transportation, fatal crashes have fallen 30 percent since their peak in 2021 — more […]
activetrans.org
December 11, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Right now, Chicago City Council is weighing drastic cuts to the very safety programs that have driven this unprecedented drop in severe injuries and fatalities on our streets — cuts that would mean more dangerous speeding, more violent crashes, and more families grieving loved ones taken too soon.
I guess I don’t get out much because I’ve heard it like once at home. Even when I was in Walgreens for 20 minutes they were playing some unrecognizable Christmas muzak that might as well have been AI.
0️⃣3️⃣0️⃣
December 11, 2025 at 7:21 PM
I guess I don’t get out much because I’ve heard it like once at home. Even when I was in Walgreens for 20 minutes they were playing some unrecognizable Christmas muzak that might as well have been AI.
For all the gripes about poor snow removal from protected bike lanes, I haven’t heard of any problems with regular plows and raised crosswalks. This is on Ravenswood at Berwyn Monday night.
December 11, 2025 at 5:52 PM
For all the gripes about poor snow removal from protected bike lanes, I haven’t heard of any problems with regular plows and raised crosswalks. This is on Ravenswood at Berwyn Monday night.
I wouldn’t make the mistake of riding contraflow. Leland is just ice forcing you into a head on crash with a speeding SUV driver. Pretty much the whole lane is ice.
December 6, 2025 at 7:40 PM
I wouldn’t make the mistake of riding contraflow. Leland is just ice forcing you into a head on crash with a speeding SUV driver. Pretty much the whole lane is ice.
I don’t even know what to say @chi.streetsblog.org this is northbound Broadway at Sunnyside
December 6, 2025 at 7:28 PM
I don’t even know what to say @chi.streetsblog.org this is northbound Broadway at Sunnyside
CDOT did plow the Broadway PBL but the entrance at Wilson was so sketchy I couldn’t even see it was clear until after taking the lane 🙃
December 6, 2025 at 6:54 PM
CDOT did plow the Broadway PBL but the entrance at Wilson was so sketchy I couldn’t even see it was clear until after taking the lane 🙃
IDOT posted the slides from their Fall Planning Conference, so I can share what I heard in Oct.
CMAP Safe System presentation: idot.illinois.gov/content/dam/...
New AASHTO Guide (speedrun thru 400 pgs): idot.illinois.gov/content/dam/...
CMAP Safe System presentation: idot.illinois.gov/content/dam/...
New AASHTO Guide (speedrun thru 400 pgs): idot.illinois.gov/content/dam/...
Even IDOT is applying a safe system approach, so slowing vehicle speeds is a feature, not a bug. Speed and overall kinetic energy (mass x acceleration) kill
December 6, 2025 at 4:24 PM
IDOT posted the slides from their Fall Planning Conference, so I can share what I heard in Oct.
CMAP Safe System presentation: idot.illinois.gov/content/dam/...
New AASHTO Guide (speedrun thru 400 pgs): idot.illinois.gov/content/dam/...
CMAP Safe System presentation: idot.illinois.gov/content/dam/...
New AASHTO Guide (speedrun thru 400 pgs): idot.illinois.gov/content/dam/...
Obligatory “Bruh you’re from Evanston” meme (that “Chicago” church is in Evanston)
December 5, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Obligatory “Bruh you’re from Evanston” meme (that “Chicago” church is in Evanston)