NASCAR Chicago

Parking restrictions start Friday as NASCAR Chicago race approaches

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With NASCAR’s historic Chicago street race one month away, the first parking restrictions will go into effect Friday as part of the slow buildup to the event.

According to Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications, the restrictions will go into effect Friday morning, with parking prohibited on southbound Columbus Drive between Jackson Drive and Balbo Drive.

More restrictions will go into effect Monday, with parking prohibited on the northbound side of Columbus Drive.

Eventually street closures will begin to ramp up as track and grandstand construction begin around the Grant Park circuit, which will take cars past some of the city’s most iconic buildings and structures.

The most widespread closures will take effect on June 25, with NASCAR officials cautioning that it could take until mid-July for all closures and restrictions to end.

The closures will culminate in the first-ever NASCAR street races, which will take place July 1 and 2 on the streets of Chicago.

Here is a chronological list of street closures that Chicago residents will be faced with. A full list of local traffic restrictions and other information can be found on OEMC’s website, or via NASCAR’s Chicago page.

June 10:

-Ida B. Wells will close east of Michigan Avenue to allow for the construction of viewing areas.

June 18:

-Road and curb-lane closures will begin throughout the racecourse to allow for the construction of track walls.

June 19:

-Balbo Drive will close between Michigan Avenue and DuSable Lake Shore Drive.

June 25:

-The biggest closures begin in earnest on this date. Jackson Drive will close between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive, while Columbus Drive will close between Jackson Drive and Roosevelt Road.

June 26:

-Congress Plaza Drive will close. Lane closures will also take effect on eastbound Roosevelt Road between Columbus Drive and DuSable Lake Shore Drive.

June 27:

-The curb lane on southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive will close between Balbo Drive and Roosevelt Road as crews install track barriers.

June 28:

-Beginning at 8 p.m., southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive will close between Randolph Street and McFetridge Road. Lane closures will also begin on northbound Michigan Avenue between Van Buren and Jackson.

Jackson Drive will also close between Columbus and DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Monroe Street will close between Columbus Drive and DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Columbus Drive will close between Jackson Drive and Monroe Street.

June 29:

-Beginning at 8 p.m., northbound Michigan Avenue will close between Balbo and Jackson.

-Beginning at 10 p.m., Roosevelt Road will close in both directions between Columbus Drive and DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Lanes on southbound Michigan Avenue will also close between Balbo and Jackson.

June 30:

-Beginning at 5 p.m., southbound Michigan Avenue will close between Balbo and Jackson.

July 1:

-Northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive will close between McFetridge and Randolph as a safety precaution.

Road reopenings will begin on July 2, with DuSable Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Avenue among the primary roadways that crews will focus on first. All deconstruction and road reopenings should take place by July 15.

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