Street closures, parking restrictions surrounding Chicago NASCAR race released
NASCAR Chicago 2023: Local businesses concerned about traffic from downtown sporting event
CHICAGO (WLS) -- There is some new information Monday about the NASCAR race coming to Chicago in July.
The Chicago street race weekend is the first of its kind for NASCAR.
The Cup Series Race, named the "Grant Park 220," and the Xfinity Series Race, called "The Loop 121," will pass through many of Chicago's most renowned downtown landmarks, July 1 through 2.
The "Grant Park 220" will be a 220-mile race with 100 laps.
"The Loop 121" will be 121 miles with 55 laps.
The proposed course will take drivers onto major city roads like Columbus Drive, Michigan Avenue and Lake Shore Drive, taking them along Lake Michigan and around the city's iconic Grant Park.
"There will be variable messaging boards up and down Lake Shore Drive, as well as in and around downtown to promote the alternate routes and detours," said Anthony Pascente, Chicago Street Race Senior Advisor.
The start and finish line, and pit road, will be located along South Columbus Drive, directly in front of Buckingham Fountain. By the eve of the event, much of the area around Grant Park will be inaccessible to vehicles.
"The city is used to major events, but I do expect some serious frustration for anybody trying to drive in that area," said Northwestern University Transportation Center Director and Professor Hani Mahmassani.
The closures mean frustration for some nearby business owners.
A Michigan Avenue bookstore, Exile In Bookville, overlooks what will be NASCAR's pit row. The store is planning to be closed on the weekend of the race, and perhaps the days before and after the event.
"Sales are incredibly important in the summer. Those sales that we make every single day during the summer are what carry us over during our slow winter months," said Kristin Enola Gilbert, a co-owner of Exile In Bookville. "We're a heavily-foot trafficked store. If people can't physically walk through, if there's barricades, I mean, there's going to be no point in being open."
There will also be full-length concerts by big names, The Chainsmokers and Miranda Lambert.
Race officials are expecting 50,000 attendees each day, and say ticket sales are already doing well.
"Looking at our sales currently, we have representation from 48 states and 12 different countries with obviously 80 some days left to go, we anticipate those numbers will just continue to grow," said Julie Giese, Chicago street course president.
As Chicago hosts the first-ever Cup Series Street Race in NASCAR's 75-year history, people will have to be mindful of the traffic impacts.
Street closures in and around Grant Park were released later Monday.
Pre-race activity will begin Friday, June 2, with parking restrictions along Columbus Drive between Jackson and Balbo drives. On Saturday, June 10, Ida B. Wells Drive will close east of Michigan Avenue starting at 12:01 a.m. to allow for construction of the main viewing areas. Temporary road closures from Saturday, June 17 to Sunday, June 25, will allow for track wall installation, with the exception of Balbo Drive, which will close at 6 a.m. on Monday, June 19, from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
The most significant closures will start on Sunday, June 25 at 12:01 a.m. with the closure of Columbus Drive between Jackson Drive and Roosevelt Road On Wednesday, June 28, at 10 p.m., southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive from Randolph Street to McFetridge Drive will close. On Thursday, June 29, starting at 8 p.m., Roosevelt Road east of Columbus Drive and northbound Michigan Avenue will close. On Friday, June 30, at 5 p.m. southbound Michigan Avenue between Balbo and Jackson drives will close.
During race weekend, northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive will close on Saturday, July 1, at 4 a.m. between McFetridge Drive and Randolph Street as an added safety precaution. Northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive will begin reopening Sunday, July 2.
Streets will begin reopening as early as 7 a.m. on Monday, July 3, following the conclusion of the event. All street closures are expected to remain in effect as demobilization of the track wall, fence, and viewing structures takes place. The priority streets to reopen are DuSable Lake Shore Drive Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive Other street closures will remain in effect as demobilization of the track wall, fence, and viewing structures takes place. Activity is expected to conclude by Saturday, July 15.
The Chicago Park District will prioritize public access during the NASCAR Chicago Street Race, keeping more than half of the park open during the event, including set-up and tear down, officials said in a news release Monday.
Access to popular park features like Buckingham Fountain, Butler Field, and Lower Hutchinson Field will remain accessible to the public with minimal restrictions that equate to less than one-fifth of event operation days, officials said.
In addition, free festival activities associated with the Chicago Street Race will be held on Butler Field, inviting the public to learn more about NASCAR without the price of admission.
Maggie Daley Park, Cancer Survivor's Garden, and the Museum Campus will remain open and accessible throughout the event and welcome visitors during regular operating hours.
Updates to this plan may be made prior to the start of the event, officials said.
On Wednesday, NASCAR will be hosting a virtual community engagement meeting from 6 to 7 p.m. to share more information about the upcoming race weekend and answer any questions people might have.
Full list of closures:
- Sunday, June 25 - Beginning at 12:01 a.m.: Closure of Jackson between Michigan and Columbus and closure of Columbus between Jackson and Roosevelt
- Monday, June 26 - Beginning at 6 a.m.: Closure of Congress Plaza Drive and lane closures on eastbound Roosevelt Road between Columbus and DuSable Lake Shore Drive
- Tuesday, June 27 - Beginning at 6 a.m.: Curb lane closure on southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive between Balbo Drive and Roosevelt for track barrier installation.
- Wednesday, June 28 - Beginning at 10 p.m.: Curb lane closure on southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive between Balbo and Roosevelt for track barrier installation.
- Thursday, June 29 - Beginning at 8 p.m.: Closure of northbound Michigan between Balbo and Jackson and traffic lane closure of southbound Michigan between Balbo and Jackson
- Thursday, June 29 - Beginning at 10 p.m.: Closure of southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive between Monroe Drive and McFetridge and closure of Roosevelt between Columbus and DuSable Lake Shore Drive
- Friday, June 30 - Beginning at 5 p.m.: Closure of southbound Michigan between Balbo and Jackson
