Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Illinois

Honestly, I don't know for sure, in part because the Chicago Building Code is quire complicated and it is possible the building was built before the time these kinds of things may have been required, if at all, and so they are not required presently. Your best bet is to ask at the Building Department and give them as much information as possible. If there is no specific requirement, then since the landlord is required to maintain the common areas under Chicago's Residential Landlord & Tenant Ordinance (if it applies to your building and even if not under most leases), the pathway need only be one that is reasonable. You might need to check your lease and see what the landlord's common area responsibilities are too, because if the Ordinance applies it supersedes any lease that eliminates the obligation, and if it does not apply, the lease may have some specific language one way or the other. Finally, assuming when you moved in to the place and had an opportunity to review the situation before signing the lease and didn't mention it, you may not be able to raise it as an issue now.