Skip to main content

Stay in the know. Subscribe to the OIG Bulletin.

Chicago Department of Transportation Aldermanic Menu Program Audit

April 20, 2017

Summary

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted an audit of the Chicago Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) Aldermanic Menu Program (Menu), a subprogram of the Neighborhood Infrastructure Capital Improvement Program (CIP), which is the City’s primary means of residential infrastructure management.

Executive Summary

Through this program, the City gives each alderman control of $1.32 million annually to fund residential infrastructure projects in their ward, including street and alley resurfacing, street lighting, speed humps, and sidewalk replacement.

OIG found that the administration of the Menu program does not align with best practices for infrastructure planning put forth by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). This audit identified significant concerns related to the City’s planning and management of residential infrastructure. For example, we determined that the allocation of $1.32 million per ward bears no relationship to the actual infrastructure needs of each ward. In addition to an overall citywide funding gap, we concluded that the allocation of Menu funds resulted in significant ward-to-ward funding disparities, including a funding disparity relative to need of $9.3 million between the best- and worst-funded wards. These findings are deeply troubling and point to serious systemic issues in the City’s residential infrastructure planning which disproportionately affect certain parts of the City.

Chicago Department of Transportation Aldermanic Menu Program Audit - publication cover