Latest news with #TomCarney
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Mayor Brandon Johnson's transportation chief departing City Hall
Tom Carney has resigned as commissioner of the Chicago Department of Transportation in the latest shakeup of Mayor Brandon Johnson's cabinet. Carney, a longtime CDOT veteran who Johnson appointed to lead the department in December 2023, told colleagues on Friday that he will be leaving City Hall, Johnson spokesperson Cassio Mendoza confirmed Friday afternoon. His departure follows several other high-profile exits in the Johnson administration this year — and comes before the annual NASCAR Chicago Street Race arrives in Grant Park during the Fourth of July weekend. His last day will be July 3, according to an internal message Friday afternoon that was obtained by the Tribune. 'Today, I am writing to inform you that I have decided to resign my position as Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT),' Carney wrote. 'After much reflection, I have determined that the demands of the CDOT Commissioner position are no longer compatible with the significant needs of my family and other personal matters.' In a statement, Johnson wrote: 'I want to thank Tom for his decades of service to our city. His work has made Chicago's streets safer, which has saved lives and made our city stronger.' The city's Transportation Department oversees more than 4,000 miles of streets; streetlights, bridges and intersections; more than 400 miles of bike lanes and trails; and the partnerships that operate the Divvy bike-share system and the city's e-scooters. As commissioner and, before that, in other CDOT leadership roles, Carney also fielded increasing concerns about pedestrian and cyclist safety. Before his appointment, Carney had been acting commissioner for months after Gia Biagi, his predecessor under Mayor Lori Lightfoot, stepped down in August 2023. Before that, he worked in several roles at CDOT, including as first deputy commissioner, managing deputy commissioner for operations and deputy commissioner in the in-house construction division, and was again acting commissioner in 2019 before Biagi was appointed. Under Johnson, Carney also helped move ahead a long-running idea to revamp north DuSable Lake Shore Drive, although the plan put forth by the Illinois and Chicago departments of transportation is still likely years away from fruition. It has also met pushback from transportation advocates who say the rebuild doesn't go far enough to promote transit, biking and walking, or to address climate goals. Carney also threw measured support behind an ordinance from Ald. Daniel La Spata, 1st, to lower the citywide speed limit to 25 mph. But the effort was voted down in February after Johnson declined to help La Spata shore up support for the legislation. And a pilot program to use automated ticketing of drivers in bike and bus lanes downtown debuted last year under Carney as well. The mayor kicked off 2025 by teasing a purge of officials in his administration who he felt were insufficiently loyal. During a 'Faith in Government Tour' panel in early February, Johnson said he should have 'cleaned house faster' when it came to holdover City Hall staffers who did not 'agree with (him) 100%' when he became mayor. 'If you ain't with us, you just gotta go,' Johnson said. 'I'm in a position now where I'll be making some decisions in the days to come, because playing nice with other people who ain't about us, it's just a waste of exercise.' Around then, Aviation Commissioner Jamie Rhee and Park District Superintendent Rosa Escareno both stepped down and were replaced by allies of the mayor. Others in the mayor's team who left the administration include Deputy Mayor for Labor Bridget Early, chief strategist Joe Calvello, Office of Emergency Management & Communications head Jose Tirado and Chief Operating Officer John Roberson. But their exits were not believed to be related to Johnson's comments. Roberson, who has been in the mayor's inner circle from the start of his term, announced earlier this month he will leave City Hall to join the Obama Foundation, after weeks of speculation over his potential appointment to CTA president, a role that still remains vacant.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Are you artistic? Delray Beach asking local artists to design new Old School Square logo
DELRAY BEACH — It's up to residents and local artists to decide what Old School Square's new logo will look like. The Delray Beach cultural arts center, now under the city's ownership, launched its "A Legacy Through Local Art" initiative this month. It invites artists to create watercolor illustrations depicting Old School Square and will be used to design the historical campus's new logo. "Old School Square has long been a cornerstone of Delray Beach's cultural and historic identity," Executive Director of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Laura Simon said. "Through this initiative, we're inviting artists to reimagine the OSS brand with a fresh, watercolor-inspired logo that reflects its past while embracing a vibrant and innovative future." The DDA manages and operates Old School Square in partnership with the city. Artists can submit their original watercolor designs via an online artist application. A selection committee will then select finalists, and the public will vote to choose the final design. The winning artist is in charge of creating a family of logos for each venue within the campus, which includes the Cornell Art Museum, Crest Theatre, Creative Arts School, Amphitheatre and Vintage Gym. DELRAY BEACH NEWS: In wealthy Boca and Delray, the rich are getting richer - where does that leave the rest? The winning artist gets $5,000 for the entire project. They'll also get a feature in the Spotlight Gallery at the Cornell Art Museum, branding exposure across Old School Square's marketing, media and outreach, and special recognition at the unveiling event, which will take place this summer. DELRAY BEACH NEWS: After eight months, Delray Beach and police union at odds over contract. What went wrong? Old School Square began as a complex of early 20th-century schools made up of Delray Elementary School, built in 1913, and Delray High School, built in 1925. A local group was formed in the mid-1980s to save the buildings from demolition after they'd been abandoned by the Palm Beach County School District due to deterioration. The six-acre campus has since been renovated to include a fine arts museum, a wedding and events venue, an indoor and an outdoor performance theater, and a creative arts school. "This is the community's Old School Square," Mayor Tom Carney said. "Our music lovers come to the concerts at the Amphitheatre, our children play in the park, our art enthusiasts explore the exhibitions at the Cornell Art Museum and take classes at the Creative Arts School, and our couples get married in the Vintage Gym." The initiative officially launched March 6. Submissions will be accepted through April 9 at 12 p.m. Finalists will be announced April 16, followed by a three-week voting period for residents. A winner will be revealed May 12, and the new logos will be unveiled in late summer 2025. Sign up for our Post on Delray Beach weekly newsletter, delivered every Thursday! Jasmine Fernández is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at jfernandez@ and follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @jasminefernandz. Help support our work. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Delray Beach asking local artists to design new Old School Square logo
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Six CTA buses will soon enhance city's efforts to ticket drivers for blocking bus, bike lanes
CHICAGO (WGN) — Artificial Intelligence-enhance cameras will be added to six Chicago Transit Authority buses to enhance enforcement of parking and standing violations in bus and bike lanes under the city's Smart Streets pilot project. The CTA board on Wednesday approved a nearly $316,000 contract to Hayden AI for the Automated Bus Lane Enforcement systems that will be installed on buses later this year. 'Keeping bus lanes and bus stops clear is essential to ensuring that CTA buses can move efficiently and riders can board safely,' said Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Tom Carney. 'The addition of enforcement cameras on CTA buses will complement the City's existing efforts and give us more data to evaluate and build on best practices.' The enforcement effort began in November in the area bound by North Avenue, Lake Michigan, Roosevelt Road and Ashland Avenue. Violators were issued warnings for the first month. Beginning December 5, drivers received a warning for a first offense with subsequent violations resulting in fines ranging from $90 for blocking bus lanes to $250 for blocking a bike lane. Through the end of February, cameras attached to eight city vehicles resulted in more than 11,000 warnings and nearly 1,400 violations being issued, according to a CTA release. Nov. 2024 | Chicago to begin automatic ticketing of bus, bike lane blockers Under the contract, Hayden AI's cameras will identify and record violations. The firm, not CTA, will then manually review them before sending them to the city for a final judgement and the issuance of a ticket. The company's technology is already used by several transit agencies, including the New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, the CTA said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
