2 Streets on Chicago’s North Side Close Friday for Outdoor Dining

Two streets on Chicago's North Side will close Friday to make way for more outdoor seating at area restaurants.

Broadway in Lakeview will be closed from Belmont Avenue to Diversey Parkway beginning at 12 p.m. and continuing through the weekend for "Dine Out on Broadway," according to the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce. More than 35 restaurants are expected to participate in the program.

Traffic will be detoured from northbound Broadway to Clark Street, to Halsted Street, to eastbound Belmont Avenue. and back to Broadway. Southbound Broadway traffic will be detoured to Belmont Avenue, Halsted Street, Clark Street and back to Broadway, city officials said.

With coronavirus numbers on track to allow for the next phase of Illinois’ reopening plan to take effect, some suburbs are urging Gov. J.B. Pritzker to reopen portions of the economy more quickly.

Some side streets in the area will also be closed or have restrictions on parking, including Briar from Cambridge to Clark and Barry from Clark to Pine Grove. Wellington will remain open eastbound and Broadway will be open from Wellington to the Mariano’s garage, officials said.

In the Gold Coast, Rush Street will be closed between Oak Street and State Street, according to the city. Bellevue Place will also be closed between State Street and just east of Rush Street to the alley. No parking will be allowed in any of the closed area.

Northbound vehicles will be detoured from Rush Street to Oak Street and State Street. Southbound traffic will be detoured from State Street to Oak Street and back to Rush Street.

The streets are two of six in a pilot program announced by the mayor last month before the city entered phase three of its coronavirus reopening plan. Other streets include 75th Street in Chatham, 26th Street in Little Village, Taylor Street on the Near West Side and Randolph Street in the West Loop.