City adds accessible benches at two Ukrainian Village bus stops

Riders waiting for buses at Damen Avenue and Thomas Street and at Division Street and Oakley Boulevard now have city-installed, ADA-compliant benches. The seating in Ukrainian Village replaces two homemade benches that the Northwest Neighborhood Alliance placed at the stops in September.

The neighborhood group built the original benches to help people who depend on public transit rest while waiting. Painted blue and yellow to reflect the Ukrainian flag, the seats drew city officials' attention. Officials replaced them with accessible advertising benches on Monday, Oct. 5.

Sam Kovnar, the alliance's 25-year-old founder, welcomed the city's response. He said bus-stop seating is especially helpful for people with mobility limitations, older adults and children. For those riders, having somewhere to sit can make the wait for a bus more comfortable and manageable.

The group's homemade benches are still serving transit riders. After the replacements arrived, the alliance relocated its seats to stops at Division and Leavitt streets and at Damen Avenue and Augusta Boulevard. The group also plans to build and install additional benches in Ukrainian Village and Humboldt Park. Kovnar said he hopes the city will either allow those seats to remain or provide replacements of its own.

The Chicago Department of Transportation said it coordinates with ward offices to choose locations for benches. Options include advertising benches and other seating paid for through aldermanic menu funds. Ald. Daniel La Spata, whose 1st Ward includes the original locations, had praised the neighborhood project and said he would advocate for more bus-stop seating across the ward.

With nearly 11,000 CTA bus stops in Chicago, the two installations represent a small, practical improvement for daily riders. CDOT said it would keep working with ward offices to add seating at suitable locations and improve comfort and accessibility at bus stops. The alliance's next installations will continue its focus on giving residents a place to rest while using public transportation.