More road closures have been added to the more than 20 rolling street and sidewalk road closures scheduled for this summer’s NASCAR Chicago Street Race, officials said Tuesday as part of a traffic update about the event. .
“Throughout the plan, we’re looking at the impact on businesses, alternative routes for motorists, weather impacts, support to local communities, etc. have been considered,” he said. Work with NASCAR officials and other agencies.
Over a dozen road and sidewalk closures have already been implemented in preparation for the street racing and music festival in and around Grant Park on July 1 and 2, with the largest still to come. It is scheduled. After the event, some roads and sidewalks may not be fully reopened until July 15, officials said.
MORE: The bleachers across from Buckingham Fountain at the NASCAR Chicago Street Race begin to take shape
These closures included the closure of portions of Dusable Lake Shore Drive, Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive, which were previously announced. No additional efforts, such as lane reductions on Chicago Avenue and Randolph Street, were made.
“The current road closures are primarily for the racecourse itself,” a NASCAR official said on Tuesday. “Based on the racecourse itself, there will also be some road closures outside the boundaries and sites.”
In addition to the closure, officials said about 50,000 people are expected to attend each day of the two-day event.
As preparations progress, we will provide a breakdown of upcoming road closures, other newly announced road closures, and how the City expects visitors to access or move around the event.
NASCAR’s next major road closure
At least a dozen road closures are still planned in the coming weeks leading up to the July event. But the biggest impact is scheduled for June 28, officials say.
“So the major road closure here is Wednesday, June 28,” NASCAR said. “We introduced a confluence taper similar to that seen at other construction sites and on the Kennedy River. It tapers off.”
NASCAR added, “There will be a number of different message boards in addition to media activity to advise drivers on how to navigate the area.”
Starting at 10:00 a.m. on the same day, the curb lanes will be closed to traffic due to the installation of a track barrier on southbound Dusable Lakeshore Drive between Balbo Drive and Roosevelt Road.
Additionally, “traffic will be reduced to one lane near Chicago Avenue, and then gradual merge down at Grand to one lane at Randolph,” officials continued.
Officials say the new traffic pattern will continue until July 4.
“Another road closure, Northbound Lake Shore Drive, starts on Saturday, July 1, at 4am on race day,” said a source. “Similarly, there is a tapering trend, from two lanes near number 47 to one lane near number 31.”
Traveling around the museum campus
NASCAR officials say that those heading northbound Dusable Lake Shore Drive to the museum campus or the lakeside port “must get off Interstate 55” before McCormick Place.
However, “vehicles requiring access to the museum’s campus, harbor, and lakefront areas can take Fort Dearborn and exit at 31st to 18th Street. This will allow access to the campus thereafter and then It will allow reverse access,” the official said.
Another option is to “take 18th Street and then go south on Lakeshore Drive or Interstate 55,” officials added.
Last month, the Shedd Aquarium, the Adler Planetarium and the Field Museum, all located near the NASCAR street race venue, released a joint statement on how the event is expected to impact hours and operations.
“With thousands of participants and spectators along the route and road closures before and during the race, those traveling from downtown and neighboring areas should allow extra time to avoid the impact of the race. We will have to wait, anticipate delays, or consider alternative routes,” read part of the statement.
Which streets will remain open?
According to Tom Kearney, First Deputy Director of the Chicago Department of Transportation, “Dusable Lakeshore Drive northbound will continue to operate from South Shore Drive to the Interstate 55 junction. Southbound remains open from Hollywood Boulevard to Randolph Street.”
Additionally, lanes on the Dan Ryan, Kennedy, Eisenhower and Stevenson highways “will continue to be open in both directions,” Carney said.
Asked if the long-running Kennedy Expressway construction project, which currently consists of reducing inbound lanes and closing outbound express lanes, Carney said the Chicago Department of Transportation said: We are in ongoing discussions with IDOT about more than just that.” But we need a way to accelerate and coordinate events and initiatives, not just for this event, but for the entire series of events that will take place in the city this summer and run through 2024. ”
The Illinois Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to NBC Chicago’s request for comment.
Most local roads and corridors in the downtown central business district will remain open, Kearney said.
“You’ll see State Street, Dearborn, Clarke, LaSalle, Wells Street, Franklin all open,” Mr Carney said. “And then there’s Upper Wacker Drive and Lower Wacker Drive. Plus, many East-West corridors like Randolph, Washington, Madison, Roosevelt, Michigan West, 18th Street, and Sermack will be available.”
When will roadblocks end?
According to an OEMC press release, “drivers traveling in the area around Grant Park and the Loop should be prepared for heavy traffic and potential rerouting in the week leading up to the race weekend.”
According to NASCAR, the full reopening schedule is as follows:
July 2nd
At the end of the event, officials said the priority would be to open Dusable Lake Shore Drive, Columbus Drive and Michigan Avenue “as soon as possible.”
Northbound Lake Shore Drive will reopen between McFetridge and Monroe, and southbound Michigan Avenue between Roosevelt and Monroe will reopen before 7 a.m. on July 3, officials said. It says.
July 3
At least one lane of southbound Lakeshore Drive is expected to be reopened to traffic by midnight on July 3. One lane will also be reopened on northbound Michigan Avenue and eastbound Roosevelt Road, and all westbound Roosevelt Road will be reopened.
July 4-5
Officials said it will last from midnight to 4 p.m. on Lake Shore Drive southward, with work to remove the track wall at the event venue, and the road will be fully reopened after 4 p.m.
Then, beginning at 4:00 p.m. and continuing through the morning of July 5, the remaining northbound wall on Michigan Avenue was removed, “allowing three lanes to reopen.”
July 5-6
From July 5th to July 6th, the Congress Circle will be fully reopened.
July 6-7
Columbus Drive between Roosevelt and Balbo is expected to remain closed in both directions. Balbo Drive will also remain closed between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive.
July 8-9
Jackson Drive will remain closed in both directions between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive. Columbus Drive will also be closed.
July 10
- Columbus Drive reopens in both directions between Roosevelt Road and Jackson Boulevard, but one lane remains closed in both directions between Balbo Drive and Jackson Boulevard.
- Ida B. Wells, between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive, is fully reopened.
- The intersection of Jackson Boulevard and Columbus Drive reopens.
July 11th
Northbound Columbus Drive is fully reopened between Balbo Drive and Jackson Boulevard.
July 12-13
Balbo Drive resumes between Columbus Drive and Dusable Lake Shore Drive.
July 14-15
All roads, parking lots and sidewalks will be reopened.
