SPRINGFIELD – Building upon the smart infrastructure investments supported by Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced an investment of $219.6 million in road and bridge improvement projects. Sen. Pacione-Zayas looks forward to the investment’s impact on roadways in her community.

“Our infrastructure is essential to keeping our community connected and ensuring people can commute to work safely,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “We need to continue to improve our state’s aging infrastructure by making our roadways more accessible for commuters and maintain high standards of safety.”

As part of IDOT’s latest Multi-Year Plan under Rebuild Illinois, the district Pacione-Zayas represents will see 26 infrastructure projects totaling more than $219.6 million over the next six years.

Some of the vital projects coming to the area include:

• Bridge restoration and pavement maintenance on I-94, I-90, and the Kennedy Expressway
• Rehabilitation of expressway lane on Kennedy Expressway

These projects are part of IDOT’s multi-year plan, a $34.6 billion investment in construction projects for the next six fiscal years.  

The $34.6 billion will go to highway reconstruction and preservation, bridge improvements, strategic expansion, system support such as engineering and land acquisition, and safety and system modernizations. Over six years, the funding will be dispersed to improve more than 2,500 miles of roads and nearly 10 million square feet of bridges.

“This investment will be transformative for our communities, and will keep our economy moving forward,” Pacione-Zayas said.  “I am eager to see the results of this investment in the coming months and years.”

To find a full list of projects slated for the 20^th Senate District, visit IDOT’s website.

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Dear friend,

School is fast-approaching, with Chicago Public Schools set to start on Aug. 22. Check out resources about what you need to set your children off on the right foot before the school year on the CPS website.

As we get closer to the start of the school year, I want to make sure you have access that make sending your children back to the classroom more affordable. Read on for information about the school supply sales tax break, school resource drives, job opportunities, and more.

As always, feel free reach out to my office for assistance by calling 773-278-2020, sending a text message to 773-207-7838, or sending us a note at www.senatorpacionezayas.com/contact-us.

Sincerely,

State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas | 20th District

Featured Resources

COVID-19 Tests

With continued community spread of COVID-19, it's best to get tested if you believe you’re getting sick! Visit www.chicago.gov/covidtest for testing locations and more information on getting tested.

National Black Business Month

August is National Black Business Month! Illinois has more than 130,000 Black-owned businesses - find some to shop at here: https://blackownedchicago.com

Home and Business Protection Program Update

The City of Chicago has launched the Home and Business Protection Program (HBPP) to ensure that Chicagoans have access to private security equipment to protect their property and feel safe. The City will provide select rebates to cover costs associated with outdoor security camera systems, cloud storage for video footage, outdoor motion-sensor lighting, vehicle GPS trackers, and subscription costs. 

Learn more about the program and apply for rebates at Chicago.gov/HBPP. If you have any questions, feel free to email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (312) 742-3317. Please help us

Job Opportunities in and around the 20^th District

Check out my recently-added webpage featuring a list of job opportunities in Chicago and the 20th District. There, you can find links to jobs with the State of Illinois, Chicago Public Schools, local organizations, and more.

Upcoming Events

North River Commission Tenants’ Rights Workshops

Join North River Commission and the Metropolitan Tenants Organization on Thursday, August 18 for a workshop focused on your rights as a tenant. The workshop will focus on your rights regarding eviction, rent increases, and apartment/home repairs.

Spanish: Aug. 16 at 6 p.m., Tabor Lutheran Church, 3542 W Sunnyside

English: Aug. 18 at 6 p.m. via Zoom

RSVP with Erika via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 872-257-8773.

Hermosa Area Cleanups

If you’re interested in getting involved in keeping our community healthy and beautiful, I encourage you to participate in one of the upcoming Hermosa Area Cleanups! For more information, click here: https://eventbrite.com/cc/cleanups-177829

In the District

I was thrilled to get back into community events in the past few weeks—read on to see what I’ve been up to! Meeting with leadership in the Girl Scouts, visiting early childhood care centers, helping undocumented students access resources on campuses and so much more were the highlights of my week. Check out the pictures below and even more here and here!

CHICAGO –State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) issued the following statement on the Inflation Reduction Act, which the U.S. Senate successfully passed and will now move for consideration to the U.S. House of Representatives:

“The Inflation Reduction Act, should it pass and be signed into law, would be a huge step forward for our country. By addressing climate change and health care, it will bring our nation into a more sustainable, stable future.

“While these achievements deserve celebration, the legislation falls short of addressing the ongoing struggles many families face—affordable access to child care.

“We know our children will be the ones to live with the consequences of the actions we take today, and it’s essential that we make sure each and every child is set on a path to thrive through affordable access to high quality early childhood care and education, early intervention services and more.

“Here in Illinois, with the assistance of federal relief funds, we’ve increased the budget for early childhood education, extended support for families searching for employment by subsidizing child care, incentivized higher rates of pay for care providers, reduced co-pays for providers who also have children, increased funding for non-traditional hours of care for first responders, and increased access for child care and early intervention for families in care.

“At the end of the day, Illinois cannot fight the fight for equitable, affordable child care alone—we need federal action to ensure a sustainable path forward for our youngest children. I celebrate victories on other fronts at the federal level, but I also call on Congress to consider commensurate investments in our children as they continue to negotiate the IRA.”

CHICAGO – To prioritize leadership and community engagement opportunities for high school students who live in the 20^th Senate district, State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas recently facilitated multiple experiences for members of her office’s Youth Advisory Council throughout the city.

The group joined Palenque LSNA for a tour of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and helped host a table providing information on state and local resources at the Art in the Park event in Unity Park.

“It’s been incredibly inspiring to see this group of young people pour into our community over the last couple months,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “The Youth Advisory Council gives them space to build relationships amongst each other and other community mentors as they enhance leadership skills, while also advising me on how I can lift up issues and priorities informed by a youth lens.”

In addition to volunteering in community events, the Youth Council has also been hard at work on two research projects. Together with members of Pacione-Zayas’ office, the students are creating a policy proposal on two issues: reducing recidivism and addressing the lack of mental health resources in schools.

The other project explores ways Latine voices are represented in the policymaking process and is led by Oswaldo Alvarez, executive director of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Foundation.

“The Youth Advisory Council is a great way for students in our community to learn the ins and outs of state government while also being a voice for their generation,” said Stefani Scott, the 20^th District Youth Employment Coordinator. “I am excited to see what this cohort goes on to achieve as they return to school this fall and beyond.”

The work of the Youth Council culmiated in their participation in the ASPIRA Club Youth Leadership Summit on Aug. 5, where young people across the state came together to bring awareness to issues like gun violence, homelessness, economic development and more.

“I’m not able to vote yet but the issues in my community impact me,” said one participant of the council. “The most impactful takeaway from this experience is that it has strengthened my political efficacy, allowing me to be civically engaged in meaningful ways that aren't voting and inspiring me to continue staying engaged.”

More information on the 20^th District Youth Advisory Council including pictures and an interest form can be found on Sen. Pacione-Zayas’ website.