Street closures are in effect Saturday night downtown Chicago, as Mexican Independence Day celebrations continue, officials said.
The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications said at about 8 p.m. there would be intermittent closures in effect in the downtown area to "alleviate traffic congestion."
Motorists should allow for extra travel time, OEMC said.
CPD said just before 10 p.m. that the Central Business District will be closed off, from DuSable Lake Shore Drive to Halsted Street and from Division Street to 18th Street.
Those who live and work in the area can gain access at the following points:
- Halsted and Division
- Halsted and Chicago Avenue
- Halsted and Washington Street
- Halsted and Madison Avenue
- Halsted and Jackson Boulevard
- Division and LaSalle Street
- Roosevelt Road and Canal Street
- Desplaines Street and Canal
- 18th and State Street
- 18th and Michigan Avenue
- 18th and Indiana Avenue
The Illinois Department of Transportation said the eastbound Ohio feeder ramp is closed from the Kennedy Expressway to Orleans Street, and the inbound off-ramp from the Kennedy to the eastbound Byrne Interchange is shut down.
The inbound Stevenson Expressway to northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive and the inbound Stevenson exit ramp to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive have also been blocked by Illinois State Police.
Buses are temporarily being rerouted downtown, from Roosevelt Road to Wacker Drive in both directions, due to large crowds, the CTA said about 8:45 p.m.
At one point, an apparent caravan draped in Mexican flags blocked part of Michigan Avenue, and fireworks could be heard.
As a result of the closures, at about 10:30 p.m., downtown was quiet. There was also a large police presence.
The CTA also said that due to "unplanned operator call-offs" the Brown Line is experiencing minor delays.
This comes as the city laid out plans to keep the crowds safe and manage traffic, including a first-of-its-kind festival at Grant Park this weekend, ahead of Mexican Independence Day Monday.
Chicago police and other city leaders have been busy getting ready, as tens of thousands are expected downtown for celebrations.
City plow trucks have been on standby, ready to block off roads, if necessary.
This comes as the first-ever family-friendly El Grito Festival kicked off Saturday in Grant Park.
First day of El Grito wraps up, celebrating Mexican independence in Chicago
"We ready for the show to have some food, the culture, everything. It's all love; we all love each other here," Chicago resident Alan Ocampo said.
The gathering is named for the historic tradition in Mexico, marking the beginning of the country's fight for independence from Spanish rule.
"To be able to celebrate when you see the skyline. You can see the lake, and feel really welcome doing so, feels really good for everyone here," El Grito organizer Korina Sanchez said.
Mexico declared its independence from Spain on Sept. 16, 1810.
There have been El Grito celebrations in some of the city's Latino neighborhoods, but nothing like this.
"It feels really good celebrating with friends; we are all of Mexican descent. Our parents came from Mexico. They are not here, but we are here to represent our background. And we are proud to be Mexican," Chicago resident Christina Barajas said.
Sarah Morales drove three and a half hours with her family from Fort Wayne to be a part of Saturday's festivities.
"It's important for me to see that we are all a community; we are all here supporting each other on such a special day," Morales said.
The festival features national and local musicians, as well as authentic Mexican food and activities, representing Mexican culture.
Organizers of the festival hoped a centralized celebration would avoid more traffic gridlock in the Loop, car caravans and street celebrations.
"We were looking at last night for an idea of what this weekend was going to look like, and we are really hoping it stays that way. And we really encourage people to come here and celebrate," Sanchez said.
The president of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce said he was confident the festival would help alleviate congestion in the Loop.
Ald. Brian Hopkins, who represents the 2nd Ward, said the city is proactively responding to keep celebrations at bay.
The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications and Chicago police detailed the plan to restrict access downtown if needed, which included rolling street closures, access points for residents and those working in the Loop, and ensuring streets are open for first responders.
Rolling street closures are possible in the areas pictured below. People who live or work downtown are urged to have identification on them so they can be allowed through. Visit Chicago.gov for more information.
Chicago police will use helicopters to monitor celebrations from the sky.
Chicago police officers could be seen being positioned throughout the city on Friday from State and Lake streets to Soldier Field amid brief street closures then, as well.
There were people out celebrating, awash in red, white and green, but the crowd was not as large as in past years.
Both festival organizers and city leaders are encouraging those celebrating this weekend to take public transportation to avoid any trouble on the roadways.
The El Grito Festival goes from 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
About 10,000 are expected to attend.
Close to 500,000 are expected to attend Chicago's 53rd annual 26th Street Mexican Independence Day parade in Little Village Sunday.
There will also be a special ceremony Sunday night. That's when, every year, Mexicans around the world gather to mark the moment the cry for freedom was first proclaimed.