At 10 a.m. Tuesday, NASCAR officials along with the Chicago Department of Transportation, the Chicago Transit Authority, the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Park District are scheduled to provide an update as more road closures go into effect. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
From the Taste of Chicago to Lollapalooza, big events are returning for the city the summer of 2023. But this year, a new one is on the schedule as well, and with it comes with more than a dozen street closures.
NASCAR's first-ever Chicago Street Race is set to take place in and around Grant Park ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, on July 1 and 2, according to organizers. Tickets for the event, which features a 12-turn, 2.2 mile circuit race along Lake Shore Drive, as well as performers including The Chainsmokers, Miranda Lambert, The Black Crowes, went on sale earlier this year.
And earlier this month, a handful of rolling street closures in anticipation of the event went into effect, with more on the way.
MORE: Chicago NASCAR 2023 Street Closures Will Impact Access to Chicago Museums
"As Chicago hosts the first-ever cup series street race in NASCAR’s 75-year history, residents and visitors are encouraged to be mindful of the traffic impacts, as well as safety measures in place," a release from the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications said Monday.
"Motorists in the areas around Grant Park and the Loop during the week leading up to and during race weekend should be prepared for heavy traffic and possible reroutes," the release continues. "There will be some street closures to ensure public safety. Traffic Control Aides (TCAs) will be on to direct flow and impacts from heavy traffic."
Local
According to the latest traffic and safety plan from NASCAR, the road interruptions are slated to begin in late June, with post-event construction breakdown expected to last well into mid-July, close to Lollapalooza, which is scheduled for Aug. 3-6 in Grant Park.
On top of the closures, officials said they expect roughly 50,000 people to attend each day of the two-day event.
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Here's the full list of the upcoming road closures and parking restrictions, when they are set to begin, and a map of what each of them looks like.
JUNE
June 18
Starting on June 18, Jackson Drive between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive will close. This closure is expected to begin at 7 p.m. and continue through 6 a.m. the following morning.
June 19
On June 19, Balbo will close between Michigan Avenue and DuSable Lake Shore Drive, but the intersection along Columbus will remain open.
June 20
Starting at 6 a.m. on June 20, one lane will be blocked on northbound Columbus Drive between Roosevelt and Balbo Drive. Chicago Transit Authority busses that run along this strip will also be rerouted, officials said.
June 21
Curb lane closures begin on June 21 for northbound Columbus Drive between Balbo and Jackson Drive.
June 22
Beginning at 6 a.m. on June 22, one lane of southbound Columbus Drive will be closed between Roosevelt and Balbo. The Columbus Drive underpass, however, will remain open.
June 23
Beginning at 6 a.m., a lane closure will continue on southbound Columbus Drive, this time from Balbo to Jackson.
June 24
Lane closures will begin on June 24 along Congress Circle in both directions.
June 25
Beginning at 12:01 a.m., Jackson Drive will close between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive and Columbus Drive will close between Jackson Drive and Roosevelt Road.
June 26
Beginning at 6 a.m., Congress Plaza Drive will close and lane closures begin on eastbound Roosevelt Road between Columbus Drive and DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
June 27
Beginning at 6 a.m., Curb lane closure begins on southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive between Balbo Drive and Roosevelt Road for track barrier installation.
June 28
Beginning at 10 a.m., a curb lane closure is slated to start on southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive between Balbo Drive and Roosevelt Road for track barrier installation.
June 29
Beginning at 8 p.m., northbound Michigan Avenue will close between Balbo Drive and Jackson Drive and a traffic lane closure will begin on southbound Michigan Avenue between Balbo and Jackson.
Then at 10 p.m., southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive will close between Monroe Drive and McFetridge Road and Roosevelt Road will shut down between Columbus Drive and DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
June 30
Beginning at 5 p.m., southbound Michigan Avenue will close between Balbo Drive and Jackson Drive.
JULY
July 1
Northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive will close between McFetridge Drive and Randolph Street.
Other race weekend closures include full shut downs of:
- SB DuSable Lake Shore Drive from Randolph Street to McFetridge Drive
- NB DuSable Lake Shore Drive from McFetridge to Randolph Street
- NB Michigan Avenue from Roosevelt Road to Jackson Drive
- SB Michigan Avenue from Jackson Drive and Balbo Drive
- Monroe Avenue from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive
- Columbus Drive from Roosevelt Rad to Monroe Drive
- Roosevelt Road from DuSable Lake Shore Drive to Columbus Drive
- Jackson Drive from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive
- Balbo Drive from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive
- Ida B. Wells from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive
- Congress Circle
Full map of all street closures
Reopening Schedule
July 2
At the end of the event, officials said the priority will be centered on opening up DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Columbus Drive and Michigan Avenue "as soon as possible."
Northbound Lake Shore Drive is scheduled to reopen between McFetridge and Monroe and southbound Michigan Avenue will reopen between Roosevelt and Monroe sometime before 7 a.m. on July 3, officials said.
July 3
At least one lane of traffic is expected to reopen on southbound Lake Shore Drive by midnight on July 3. Northbound Michigan Avenue and eastbound Roosevelt Road will also see one lane reopen, while all of westbound Roosevelt Road is expected to reopen.
July 4-5
Beginning at midnight and continuing through 4 p.m., officials are expected to continue to remove track wall from the event on southbound Lake Shore Drive, fully reopening the road after 4 p.m., officials said.
Then, beginning at 4 p.m. and continuing through the morning hours of July 5, the remaining walls on northbound Michigan Avenue will be removed, "allowing for three lanes" to reopen.
July 5-6
Between July 5 and July 6 Congress Circle is expected to fully reopen.
July 6-7
Columbus Drive between Roosevelt and Balbo is expected to remain closed in both directions. Balbo Drive will also remain closed to traffic between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive.
July 8-9
Jackson Drive will remain closed between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive in both directions. Closures will also continue on Columbus Drive.
July 10
- Columbus Drive reopens in both directions between Roosevelt Road and Jakcson Boulevard, but one lane remains closed between Balbo Drive and Jackson Boulevard in both directions.
- Ida B. Wells between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive fully reopens.
- Jackson Boulevard and Columbus Drive intersection reopens.
July 11
Northbound Columbus Drive reopens fully between Balbo Drive and Jackson Boulevard.
July 12-13
Balbo Drive reopens between Columbus Drive and DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
July 14-15
All streets, parking and sidewalks are reopened.
Alternate Routes
For those needing to travel north or south, officials recommend:
• State St.
• Dearborn St. (NB)
• LaSalle St. (NB and SB)
• Wells St. (SB)
• Franklin St. (NB)
• Upper Wacker Dr. (NB and SB)
For west or east:
• Upper Wacker. (EB and WB)
• Randolph St. (WB)
• Washington. (EB)
• Madison Ave. (WB)
• Roosevelt Rd. (EB and WB)
• 18th St. (EB and WB)
• 22nd St / Cermak (EB and WB)
Lower Wacker Drive will be promoted for through traffic to avoid the Loop.