The 2014 Bank of America Chicago Marathon is Sunday, Oct. 12. NBC Chicago’s Kye Martin has information about getting there, as well as the information about road and ramp closures that commuters need to know.
It’s marathon weekend and that means viewers likely have lots of questions. Where is the best place to watch? How do I get there? What time does it start? Will my street be closed? Well, here are the answers to all of those questions and more.
The race kicks off at 7:30 am Sunday, October 12 in on Columbus Drive, just north of Jackson Drive in Grant Park (Wheelchair participants begin at 7:20). The 26.2-mile course will take runners to Addison Street on the north end of the route, Damen Ave. to the west, 35th Street to the south and back to Grant Park for the finish.
Road Closures:
Along the runners’ path, all roads will be closed to traffic, both vehicle and pedestrian. Road closures will lift as the runners complete each section, with the shortest closure lasting two hours and the longest lasting ten and half hours.
Local
In addition to closures along the marathon route, several area expressways will be affected.
• OB Dan Ryan exit to 31st Street will be closed
• OB I-290 exit to Damen Ave. will be closed
• The exit to Adams on both the EB/WB Kennedy will be closed
To best avoid runner traffic and the road closures, Lake Shore Drive will be open throughout the day, as well as Lincoln and Clybourn Avenues.
Public Transit:
Taking public transportation is your best option for traveling around Chicago on race day. To accommodate the runners and added pedestrian traffic, both the CTA and Metra have added extra service.
CTA ‘L’ Trains:
The CTA will be offering extensive service on race day. CTA personnel will be on duty at select stations along the Blue, Red, Green, Brown, Pink and Orange Lines to assist customers and to provide travel information. Additional aid will also be available at O’Hare International Airport’s Blue Line Terminal and Midway Airport’s Orange Line Terminal to aid passengers in getting/filling Ventra cards and with directions.
Blue Line: Longer trains will operate from 5 am to 4 pm. Service from O’Hare will operate every 5 to 6 minutes between 8:30 am and 3 pm.
Pink Line: Longer trains will operate from 6 am to 3 pm.
Brown Line: Longer trains will operate from 5 am to 4 pm. Service will operate every 10 minutes from 5 am to 3 pm.
Green Line: Longer trains will operate from 5:30 am to 3 pm. Earlier service will operate as follows:
- From Harlem/Lake: first train to Downtown leaves at 5 am.
- From Cottage Grove: first train to Downtown leaves at 5:10 am.
- From Ashland/63rd: first train to Downtown leaves at 4:50 am.
- Orange Line: Longer trains will operate from 5:30 am to 3 pm.
- Purple Line: Earlier service will operate from Linden with the first train leaving at 5:30 am.
- Red Line: Longer trains will operate every 7 to 8 minutes from 5 am to 6:30 am. Service will operate every 5 to 6 minutes from 6:30 am to 4 pm.
CTA Buses:
For the marathon, a total of 25 Chicago streets will be shut down. Because of this, 34 different CTA buses will experience re-routes between 6:30 am and 4 pm. Buses on the North Side will be affected from 6:30 am to 12 pm; buses on the West Side from 7 am to 2 pm; buses on the South Side from 6:30 to 4 pm. Extra travel time should be added to allow for the commute changes.
Click each link for changes:
- #3 King Drive
- #4 Cottage Grove
- #6 Jackson Park Express
- #8 Halsted
- #9 Ashland
- #10 Museum of Science & Industry
- #12 Roosevelt
- #J14 Jeffery Jump
- #18 16th/18th
- #20 Madison
- #21 Cermak
- #22 Clark
- #29 State
- #35 31st/35th
- #36 Broadway
- #44 Wallace/Racine
- #50 Damen
- #56 Milwaukee
- #60 Blue Island/26th
- #62 Archer
- #65 Grand
- #66 Chicago
- #70 Division
- #72 North
- #73 Armitage
- #74 Fullerton
- #76 Diversey
- #77 Belmont
- #124 Navy Pier
- #126 Jackson
- #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express
- #147 Outer Drive Express
- #151 Sheridan
- #152 Addison
Metra:
Metra will begin service early for inbound morning trains and outbound afternoon trains for participants and spectators. The following five lines will operate in addition to regularly scheduled Sunday train service:
- BNSF Railway
- Metra Electric District
- Milwaukee North
- Union Pacific Northwest
- Union Pacific West
Those who plan on making the marathon a family event can take advantage of Metra’s “Family Fares” pass, where up to three children 11 and under ride free with a fare-paying adult. Also available is a special $7 unlimited ride weekend pass.
Viewing Areas:
Access to the start and finish lines in Grant Park is only accessible to race participants, event staff and ticketed guests, so general spectators must support runners from elsewhere along the course.
For the closest look at runners starting, check out Grand between Columbus and State
For the best view of runners finishing, go to the Bank of America Cheer Zone at Michigan Avenue and Roosevelt Road.
- Take the Red Line to Grand to view miles #1, #3 and #12.
- Take the Red Line to Monroe to view mile #2. Exit at Jackson Blvd.
- Take the Red Line to Chicago to view miles #3.5 and #11.5. Exit at Chicago and walk three blocks west to LaSalle Street.
- Take the Red Line to Addison to view mile #7.75. Exit at Addison and walk four blocks east to Broadway.
- Take the Brown Line to Sedgwick to view mile #10.25. Eexit at Sedgwick Street and walk a half-block north to North Avenue.
- Take the Blue Line to UIC-Halsted to view miles #16 and #16.5. Exit at UIC-Halsted and walk two blocks north on Morgan Street to Jackson Street to view runners at mile #16 in Greektown or use the accessible Halsted exit to view runners at mile #16.5.
- Take the Pink Line to 18th to view mile #19. Exit at 18th Street and walk one block east to Ashland.
- Take the Orange Line to Halsted to view mile #20.5.
- Take the Red Line to Sox-35th or the Green Line to 35th-Bronzeville-IIT to view mile #23. Exit and walk two blocks east on 35th Street to State Street.
- Take the Red, Green or Orange Lines to Roosevelt to view the Finish Line. Exit at Roosevelt and walk east toward Grant Park. The Bank of America Cheer Zone is located at Michigan Avenue and Roosevelt Road.
Once the race has ended, family and friends may meet runners after the race at the designated runner reunite area at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon 27th Mile Post-Race Party in Grant Park at Butler Field.
