Communities drive investments in Chicago’s south suburbs

Cook County’s RainReady Calumet Corridor

Greenprint is partnering with the Center for Neighborhood Technology to advance stormwater management projects in six flood-prone communities along the Little Calumet River in Chicago’s south suburbs: Blue Island, Calumet City, Calumet Park, Dolton, Riverdale and Robbins. The communities are located in low-lying areas that have suffered long-standing disinvestment in infrastructure. Coupled with increasing intensity of storm events from climate change, the communities are experiencing intense roadway flooding, frequent sewer system overwhelm, and property damage from sewer backups and seepage. Funded by Cook County through funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, the RainReady Calumet Corridor implementation initiative aims to implement the stormwater management strategies previously outlined in each community’s RainReady Plan.

Our planning team has been meeting regularly with resident steering committees in each community to understand local priorities and stormwater challenges. Residents have prioritized the following projects, set to be completed by the end of 2026: stormwater bumpouts in Calumet City, permeable pavement in Robbins, green schoolyard revitalization in Calumet Park and a home improvement program to reduce basement backups and increase the use of residential nature-based solutions like rain barrels and rain gardens. Greenprint is guiding these projects through design and permitting. Over the next two years, they will transition from planning to reality, creating a greener, more resilient future for the Calumet Corridor communities.

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Illustration: CNT