Online map to help get Chicago sidewalks shoveled

CHICAGO | Chicago residents will soon be able to plan their snow shoveling with the click of a mouse.

Adopt-a-Sidewalk, the newest component of a Chicago program to connect able-bodied snow shovelers with residents who need assistance, will allow residents to identify their blocks on an online map, claim sidewalks to shovel and communicate with one another to share tools. It is part of a new website, Chicagoshovels.org, that includes information about city snow plow activity and vehicle relocation.

Those who need help shoveling can request assistance on the map as well.

Expected to launch soon, the application is designed to encourage neighborhood residents to join together to keep the sidewalks clear and safe, said Ankur Thakkar, deputy director of social media for the mayor's office.

Adopt-a-Sidewalk also will remind residents about snow removal rules, said Tom Alexander, a mayoral aide. According to the municipal code, residents are required to keep the sidewalks outside their homes clear, or they face fines of up to $50.

"We want to have a city where people are looking out for their neighbors and the elderly," Alexander said.

The interactive idea has already gotten the community's attention: 300 people have signed up to be notified when the site goes live, and politicians and residents have expressed support for the online application.

Ald. Tom Tunney, of the 44th Ward, is an advocate for the app. He called in October for tougher enforcement of snow removal laws by issuing tickets electronically.

Chicago resident Robert Mattingly said he's 29, so dodging piles of snow doesn't bother him. But slippery sidewalks could prevent the elderly from traveling safely.

Now that he's aware of the Adopt-a-Sidewalk program, Mattingly said he's inspired to get involved.

"I've always shoveled around my neighborhood," he said. "I have a snowblower, so I might do more blocks than normal."

The application is still in the testing phase.

"Looking at the city as a network of sidewalks is not something that has been done before," Alexander said. "We want to make sure we have it all accurate."