NASCAR, officials go before Chicago City Council to address impact of street closures for race
The Grant Park 220 race course will impact traffic with street closures over the next few weeks
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago's first NASCAR street race is still about two weeks away and officials with the racing and the Chicago Park District attended a hearing of a City Council committee Wednesday.
Grant Park is already transforming and the city is bracing for closures and traffic.
The Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety meeting Wednesday to talk about the impacts of the street closures for the NASCAR Cup Series race in Grant Park which is slated for July 1 and 2.
See the Chicago NASCAR street race course, plus street closures and parking restrictions
The two-day event will shut down portions of DuSable Lake Shore Drive for several days in about two weeks.
NASCAR officials attended the hearing along with Chicago Park District officials, officials from the CTA and other city department leaders. There is uncertainty among some aldermen.
"Don't know what to expect. We have confidence it's going to work but it's the first time doing it," said 10th Ward Ald. Peter Chico.
Some council members said they have few details about the race because Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot's administration failed to share information.
"We've worked hard over the last 10 months to have conversations and be transparent with the planning," said Julie Giese, president of Street Race Chicago.
Some council members had questions about the number of police and traffic aides needed for the race. Chicago police are already planning to cancel days off for the busy time. Among the events in the city over the same holiday weekend are concerts and baseball games.
"What we're gonna see is not gonna be perfect," said 1st Ward Ald. Daniel La Spata.
Some community members say regardless of how the race comes off, it's a bad idea for Chicago to have race cars on city streets. Members of the Safe Streets For All Coalition would rather the race not happen at all.
"We think it sends a wrong message to drivers that our streets are a place to race through when we need to be slowing people down. The reality is speed kills."))
Meanwhile the grandstands are already going up.
"We take planning very seriously here in the city of Chicago. This is our bread and butter. We do large events. We have a sterling reputation across the nation," said Chris Pettineo, OEMC.
Tuesday, the city started laying out its closure plan:
Starting at 8:00 p.m. on June 28 the southbound lanes of DuSable Lake Shore Drive will be closed from Randolph Street to McFetridge Drive.
Traffic will be reduced to two lanes near North Avenue and down to one lane at Chicago Avenue.
Drivers will exit at Grand Avenue.
