WILLIAM MARBACK INTERIM INSPECTOR GENERAL
CITY OF CHICAGO OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 740 NORTH SEDGWICK STREET, SUITE 200 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60654 TELEPHONE: (773) 478-7799 FAX: (773) 478-3949
MARCH 9, 2022
TO THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY CLERK, CITY TREASURER, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:
The City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) has completed a follow-up to its June 2020 audit of the Chicago Department of Transportation's (CDOT) traffic signal planning practices. Based on the Department's responses, OIG concludes that CDOT has fully implemented one of three corrective actions related to the audit finding, substantially implemented another, and partially implemented the third.
The purpose ofthe 2020 audit was to determine whether CDOT's traffic signal planning met industry best practices as defined by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Our audit found that CDOT did not have a traffic signal management plan, objectives, or performance measures connecting its traffic signal management program to broader Department goals and City plans.
Based on the results ofthe audit, OIG recommended that CDOT develop a traffic signal management plan aligned with FHWA recommendations, including clear goals and objectives, performance measures, and a strategy to transition toward more proactive signal maintenance and retiming work. OIG also recommended that the Department conduct an analysis to determine its staffing needs related to traffic signals and work with the Office of Budget and Management to meet those needs. In its response to the audit, CDOT described corrective actions it would take.
In December 2021, OIG inquired about corrective actions taken by CDOT in response to the audit. Based on CDOT's follow-up response, OIG concludes that CDOT has substantially implemented one corrective action, fully implemented another, and partially implemented the third. Specifically, CDOT has drafted a traffic signal management plan—with assistan...
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