Chicago Traffic

Does Chicago Traffic Seem Bad Lately? What to Expect This Weekend

With two major events leading to street closures or massive crowds of people trekking into the city, it's likely drivers will see plenty of congestion

If you thought Chicago's traffic was bad this week you probably weren't alone, but things will likely only get worse from here this weekend.

With two major events leading to street closures or massive crowds of people trekking into the city, it's likely drivers will see plenty of congestion.

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is set to take place Sunday, but street closures kicked off already this week and are expected to ramp up for race day.

Thursday also marked the start of the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo, which brought thousands of runners into the city for their pre-race festivities and continues through the weekend.

The expo runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 6 and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 7-8 at the McCormick Place, which is located at 2301 S. Martin Luther King Dr.

A full list of marathon street closures can be found here or below.

Another event bringing crowds to Chicago is Harry Styles' residency. While the pop icon's six shows were expected to begin Thursday, an abrupt cancellation means the first performance will instead take place this weekend.

Styles' "Love on Tour" is set to bring performances from Oct. 8-10 and Oct. 13-15 to the United Center.

There are also plenty of other events happening around Chicago this weekend, like the World Music Festival in the city and a "Stranger Things" fan convention in Schaumburg, bringing stars of the show to the Chicago area.

There will also be some roadwork planned in the area with Interstate 57 down to one lane from 12th Street to Halsted Street and I-80 in Joliet getting resurfacing work done.

Here's a full look at road closures expected in the area through the weekend for the 2022 Chicago Marathon:

Closures starting Monday include:

  • Balbo Avenue from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive: 10 a.m. to 6 a.m. Oct. 12

Closures starting Wednesday include:

  • Jackson Boulevard from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive: 10 a.m. to 6 a.m. Oct. 10

Closures starting Thursday include:

  • Balbo Avenue from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive: 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. Oct. 10
  • Columbus Drive from Roosevelt Road to Ida B. Wells Drive: 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. Oct. 10

Closures starting Friday include:

  • Jackson Drive from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive: 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. Oct. 9
  • Ida B. Wells Drive from Congress Plaza to Columbus Drive: 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 9
  • Ida B. Wells Drive from Michigan Avenue to Congress Plaza: 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 9
  • Congress Plaza from Van Buren Street to Harrison Street: 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 9
  • Columbus Drive from Monroe Street to Jackson Boulevard: 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 9
  • Columbus Drive from Jackson Boulevard to Ida B. Wells Drive: 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 9

Closures starting Saturday include:

  • Columbus Drive from Randolph Street to Monroe Street: 6 a.m. to noon Oct. 9
  • Monroe Street from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive: noon to noon Oct. 9
  • Monroe Street from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive: noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 9
  • Roosevelt Road from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Dive: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 9

Closures starting Oct. 9 include:

  • Michigan Avenue from Madison Street to 9th Street: 4 a.m. to 9 a.m.
  • Roosevelt Road from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive: 4 a.m. 6 p.m.
  • Columbus Drive from McFetridge Drive to Roosevelt Road: 4 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Michigan Avenue from 9th Street to Roosevelt Road: 5:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Columbus Drive to Grand Avenue: 7 to 10 a.m.
  • Grand Avenue from Columbus Drive to State Street: 7 to 10 a.m.
  • State Street from Grand Avenue to Jackson Boulevard: 7 to 10:30 a.m.
  • Jackson Boulevard from State Street to LaSalle Street: 7 to 10:30 a.m.
  • LaSalle Street from Jackson Boulevard to Stockton Drive: 7 to 11:30 a.m.
  • Stockton Drive from LaSalle Drive to Fullerton Drive: 7 to 11:45 a.m.
  • Fullerton Drive from Stockton Drive to Cannon Drive: 7 from 11:45 a.m.
  • Cannon Drive from Fullerton Drive to Sheridan Road: 7 to 11:45 a.m.
  • Sheridan Road from Diversey Parkway to Belmont Avenue: 7 to 11:45 a.m.
  • Inner Lakeshore Drive from Belmont Avenue to Sheridan Road: 7 a.m. to noon
  • Sheridan Road from Inner Lakeshore Drive to Broadway Avenue: 7 a.m. to noon
  • Broadway Avenue from Sheridan Road to Briar Place: 7 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
  • Broadway Avenue from Briar Place to Diversey Parkway: 7 a.m. 12:30 p.m.
  • Clark Street from Diversey Parkway to Fullerton Parkway: 7 a.m. 12:30 p.m.
  • Clark Street from Fullerton Parkway to Webster Avenue: 7 a.m. 12:45 p.m.
  • Webster Avenue from Clark Street to Sedgwick Street: 7 a.m. 12:45 p.m.
  • Sedgwick Street from Webster Avenue to North Avenue: 7 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
  • North Avenue from Sedgwick Street to Wells Street: 7 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
  • Wells Street from North Avenue to Walton Street: 7 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
  • Wells Street from Walton Street to Wacker Drive: 7 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
  • Wacker Drive from Wells Street to Monroe Street: 7 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
  • Monroe Street from Wacker Drive to Halsted Street: 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  • Halsted Street from Monroe Street to Adams Street: 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  • Adams Street from Halsted Street to Damen Avenue: 7 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
  • Damen Avenue from Adams Street to Jackson Boulevard: 7 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
  • Jackson Boulevard from Damen Avenue to Halsted Street: 7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
  • Halsted Street from Jackson Boulevard to Taylor Street: 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • Taylor Street from Halsted Street to Loomis Street: 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
  • Loomis Street from Taylor Street to 18th Street: 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
  • 18th Street from Loomis Street to Halsted Street: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Halsted Street from 18th Street to 21st Street: 7 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
  • 21st Street from Halsted Street to Canalport Avenue: 7 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
  • Canalport Avenue from 21st Street to Cermak Road: 7 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
  • Cermak Road from Canalport Avenue to Wentworth Avenue: 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
  • Wentworth Avenue from Cermak Road to 26th Street: 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
  • 26th Street from Wentworth Avenue to Michigan Avenue: 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
  • Michigan Avenue from 26th Street to 35th Street: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • 35th Street from Michigan Avenue to Indiana Avenue: 7 a.m. 4 p.m.
  • Indiana Avenue from 35th Street to 31st Street: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • 31st Street from Indiana Avenue to Michigan Avenue: 7 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
  • Michigan Avenue from 31st Street to Roosevelt Road: 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Roosevelt Road from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Columbus Drive from Roosevelt Road: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Vehicles that are parked along the closed streets will be ticketed and towed. Information about towed vehicles can be found at (312)744-4444.

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