Over a million spectators are expected to watch Chicago marathoners run the Oct. 11 race. It will stretch 29 neighborhoods, which will allow people all over the city to see the runners.
However, it also means getting around the city that day will be a bit complicated. Here are some things to know as you try to get around Chicago on marathon day.
Street Closures Already in Effect:
- Balbo from Columbus to Lake Shore Drive
- Jackson, from Columbus to Lake Shore Drive
- Columbus, from Roosevelt Road to Monroe
- Several other closures around Grant Park, including sections of Columbus, Balbo, Congress, Jackson and Monroe
Complete List of Race Day Street Closures:
- Columbus Drive: Randolph Street to Grand Avenue, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- Grand Avenue: Columbus Drive to State Street, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- State Street: Grand Avenue to Jackson Boulevard, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- Jackson Boulevard: State Street to LaSalle Street, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- LaSalle Street: Jackson Boulevard to Stockton Drive, 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
- Stockton Drive: LaSalle Drive to Fullerton Drive, 7 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
- Fullerton Drive: Stockton Drive to Cannon Drive, 7 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
- Cannon Drive: Fullerton Drive to Sheridan Road, 7 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
- Sheridan Road: Diversey Parkway to Belmont Ave, 7 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
- Inner Lakeshore Drive: Belmont Avenue to Addison Street, 7 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
- Addison Street: Inner Lakeshore Drive to Broadway Street, 7 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
- Broadway STreet: Addison STreet to Diversey Parkway: 7 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
- Clark Street: Diversey Parkway to Webster Avenue, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Webster Avenue, Clark STreet to Sedgwick Street, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Sedgwick Street: Webster Avenue to North Avenue, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- North Avenue: Sedgwick Street to Wells Street, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Wells Street: North Avenue to Hubbard Street 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Hubbard Street: Wells Street to Orleans Street, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Orleans Street: Hubbard Street to Wacker Drive, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Franklin Street: Wacker Drive to Adams Street, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Adams Street: Franklin Street to Damen Avenue, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Damen Avenue: Adams Street to Van Buren Street, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Van Buren Street: Damen Avenue to Ogden Avenue, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Ogden Avenue: Van Buren Street to Jackson Boulevard, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Jackson Boulevard: Ogden Avenue to Halsted Street, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Halsted Street: Jackson Boulevard to Taylor Street, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Taylor Street: Halsted Street to Ashland Avenue, 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Ashland Avenue: Taylor Street to 18th Street, 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- 18th Street: Ashland Avenue to Halsted Street, 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Halsted Street: 18th Street to Archer Avenue, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Archer Avenue: Halsted Street to Cermak Road, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Cermak Road: Archer Avenue to Wentworth Avenue, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Wentworth Avenue: Cermak Road to 33rd Street, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- 33rd Street: Wentworth Avenue to State Street, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- State Street: 33rd Street to 35th Street, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- 35th Street: State Street to Michigan Avenue, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Michigan Avenue: 35th Street to Roosevelt Road, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Roosevelt Road: Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Local
Available Race Day Routes:
Lake Shore Drive
North and southbound lanes will stay open.
Inner Lake Shore Drive
North and southbound lanes will stay open from Diversey Pkwy. all the way to Belmont Ave. Lake Shore Dr. will remain open at Belmont Ave.
Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90/94)
East and westbound lanes will remain open to motorists. However, the Southbound exit ramp to 31st St. will be closed.
Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94)
East and westbound lanes will remain open. However, the entrance and exit ramps will be closed at Adams St.
Eisenhower Expressway (I-290)
East and westbound lanes will remain open. However, the entrance and exit ramps will be closed at Westbound ramp to Damen Ave.
Stevenson Expressway (I-55)
North and southbound lanes will remain open.
Loop
All streets in the Loop will be open to traffic by 9 a.m on the day of the race, but public transportation is recommended.
North of the Loop
North and southbound lanes on Michigan Ave. north of 8th St. North will remain open, including access to the Magnificent Mile. Clybourn Ave., Lincoln Ave. north of Sedgwick St., and Clark St. north of Diversey Pkwy. will also remain open.
West of the Loop
Milwaukee Ave., Halsted St. north of Adams St., Ashland Ave. north of Adams St., and Damen Ave. north of Adams St. will remain open.
South of the Loop
Damen Ave. south of Van Buren St., Ashland Ave. south of 18th St., Archer Ave. west of Halsted St., and Martin Luther King Dr. will remain open.
For more information on street closures, visit the marathon's site.
Parking
No Parking Zones that will be in place along the course will be enforced, starting at 1 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11. Street closures will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., though the roads in Grant Park will be closed for a longer period of time. Chicago police will close and re-open streets in a way to ensure runner and spectator safety.
Vehicle Towing
It is important to know that vehicles will be towed along the course and other No Parking zones starting at 1 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11. They will be ticketed and towed to the nearest auto-pound. Also, if you happen to live on one of the streets along the race’s route, you have to move your vehicle off the course by Saturday, Oct. 10. For information in the event that your vehicle gets towed, call (312) 744-4444.
