The NASCAR Chicago Street Race is set to return for the second year, drawing thousands of attendees to Grant Park on July 6 and 7, and prompting extensive street closures and rerouting downtown.
The closures began Monday, nearly a month before the event, to allow for setup. The assembly and breakdown period has been reduced from 25 days to 19 days, after last year’s race drew criticism for traffic and limited lakefront accessibility.
Motorists should be prepared for heavy traffic and reroutes throughout the event, according to the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications. Both the CTA and Metra will provide additional service.
More than half of Grant Park will remain open to the public throughout the event, including popular features like Buckingham Fountain, Butler Field and Lower Hutchinson Field.
All of NASCAR demobilization activities are expected to conclude July 18, the city said. Here’s a complete list of street closures throughout the event.
Pre-race activity in Grant Park
June 10: Ida B. Wells Drive will close from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive starting at 12:01 a.m. to allow for construction of the main viewing areas; and limited parking restrictions will be put in place along southbound Columbus Drive between Jackson Drive and Balbo Drive
June 19 to June 20: Temporary road closure from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. on northbound Michigan Avenue from Congress Circle to Jackson Drive to allow for a pedestrian walkway to be installed while viewing structures are being assembled
June 26 – Beginning at 8 p.m.: Northbound traffic lane closure on Congress Circle
June 27 – Beginning at 7 p.m.: Curb lane closure of Columbus Drive between Jackson Drive and Roosevelt Road
Significant street closures
June 27 – Beginning at 7 p.m.: Closure of Jackson Drive between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive
June 28 – Beginning at 8 a.m.: Closure of Balbo Drive from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive (intersection will remain open)
June 28 – Beginning at 7 p.m.: Full closure of Balbo Drive from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive
June 29 – Beginning at 7 p.m.: Southbound lane closure on Columbus Drive from Balbo Drive to Roosevelt Road
July 1 – Beginning at 1 a.m.: Closure of Columbus Drive between Jackson Drive and Roosevelt Road. Closure of Jackson Drive between Columbus Drive and DuSable Lake Shore Drive
July 1 – Beginning at 9 p.m.: Closure of southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive between Randolph Street and McFetridge Road. Reopening at 6 a.m. on July 2
July 2 – Beginning at 6 a.m.: Closure of Congress Circle and entrances at Michigan Avenue, Van Buren Street and Harrison Street
July 4 – Beginning at 9 p.m.: Closure of westbound and eastbound Roosevelt Road between Michigan Avenue and DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Closure of northbound Michigan Avenue between Roosevelt Road and Jackson Drive
July 5 – Beginning at 12:01 a.m.: Closure of northbound and southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive between Randolph Street and McFetridge Road. Closure of southbound Michigan Avenue between Roosevelt Road and Jackson Drive. Closure of the northbound lane of Indiana Avenue at 13th Street. Closure on Monroe Street between Columbus Drive and DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Race weekend street closures – July 6 and July 7
Southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive from Randolph Street to McFetridge Drive
Northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive from McFetridge Drive to Randolph Street
Northbound Michigan Avenue from Roosevelt Road to Jackson Drive
Southbound Michigan Avenue from Jackson Drive to 8th Street
Monroe Street from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Columbus Drive from Roosevelt Road to Monroe Street
Roosevelt Road from DuSable Lake Shore Drive to Michigan Avenue
Jackson Drive from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Balbo Drive from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Ida B. Wells Drive from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive
Congress Circle from Harrison Street to Van Buren Street
Northbound Indiana Avenue from Roosevelt Road to 13th Street
Post Place: Entrance and exit of Lower Wacker Drive
Garvey Court: Entrance and exit of Lower Wacker Drive
Reopening Schedule: The northbound section of DuSable Lake Shore Drive is set to reopen on July 8 at 6 a.m. After the event, select streets will gradually reopen
Priority Streets: The priority streets for reopening are DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive. Other street closures will remain in place until the demobilization of the track wall, fence and viewing structures is completed. All NASCAR-related demobilization activities are expected to conclude by the end of the day on July 18
Streets with local access only for residents, businesses and their employees
Sidewalks will remain open throughout the set-up and tear-down (June 10 – July 18).
Southbound Michigan Avenue from Monroe Street to Jackson Drive
Southbound Michigan Avenue from 8th to Roosevelt Road
8th Street from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue
9th Street from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue
11th Street from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue
Balbo Drive from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue
Harrison Street from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue
Ida B. Wells from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue
Jackson Blvd. from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue
Van Buren Street from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue
Monroe Street from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive
Southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive from Randolph Street to Monroe Street
Northbound Michigan Avenue from 13th to 16th Street
Northbound Indiana Avenue from 14th to 16th Street
Columbus Underpass and the Chicago Lakefront Bicycle Path will remain open throughout the event (this includes Monroe Street and Roosevelt Road)
Pedestrians traveling west must utilize and access sidewalk on the north side of Monroe Street, Roosevelt Road or Columbus Drive underpass only
Alternative routes available – streets may be closed by the City of Chicago, if deemed necessary
DuSable Lake Shore Drive Northbound will remain open from South Shore Drive to I-55 merger
To visit the Museum Campus from the South: Exit DuSable Lake Shore Drive at 31st Street and utilize Fort Dearborn Drive to proceed north and access 18th Drive
To visit the Museum Campus from the North: Access Stevenson Expressway (I-55N), and merge onto DuSable Lake Shore Drive Exit at 18th Street
DuSable Lake Shore Drive Southbound will remain open from Hollywood Boulevard to Randolph Street
Inner DuSable Lake Shore Drive will remain open in both directions
Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90/94) will remain open in both directions
Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94) will remain open in both directions. Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) will remain open in both directions
Stevenson Expressway (I-55) will remain open in both directions
In the Loop, the following streets will remain open: State Street, Dearborn Street, Clark Street, LaSalle Street, Wells Street, Franklin Street, Upper Wacker Drive, Lower Wacker Drive, Randolph Street, Washington Street, Madison Street, Roosevelt Road – West of Michigan Avenue, 18th Street
