Chicago Marathon brings closures, traffic this weekend

CHICAGO -- The annual Bank of America Chicago Marathon will take place Sunday, Oct. 12, with 45,000 runners expected to participate. Motorists and pedestrians should anticipate traffic delays due to large crowds and street closures, and should be aware of parking bans along the marathon's route.

The marathon's start and finish line will be located in Grant Park on Columbus Drive, and extends north to Addison Street, west to Damen Avenue and south to 35th Street. Some street and lane closures are already in place in the area of Grant Park, including Balbo from Columbus to Lake Shore Drive. Additional street closures begin Wednesday when Jackson will be closed from Columbus to Lake Shore Drive, according to OMEC. Columbus closures begin Thursday, and most streets in Grant Park will reopen by Monday.

Towing of vehicles parked along the course will be strictly enforced beginning at 1 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12. Street closures along the route will occur between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. If your car is towed, you can call 311 to locate it. Streets will reopen as the final runners pass through. Residents and visitors are highly encouraged to use public transportation throughout the weekend, but especially on race day. The following streets will be impacted:

• LaSalle from Jackson to Stockton: Closes at 7 a.m., opens at 9:30 a.m.


• Stockton from LaSalle to Fullerton: Closes at 7 a.m., opens at 10:45 a.m.


• Fullerton from Stockton to Cannon: Closes at 7 a.m., opens at 10:45 a.m.


• Cannon from Fullerton to Sheridan: Closes at 7 a.m., opens at 10:45 a.m.


• Clark from Diversey to Webster: Closes 7 a.m., opens at 11 a.m.


• Webster from Clark to Sedgwick: Closes at 7 a.m., opens at 11 a.m.


• Sedgwick from Webster to North: Closes at 7 a.m., opens at noon


• North from Sedgwick to Wells: Closes at 7 a.m., opens at noon


• Wells from North to Hubbard: Closes at 7 a.m., opens at noon

Additional security measures are also in place for the race, as they were last year. Participants will need to show ID to obtain their race packets, and can store personal belongings only in race-issued clear plastic bags. Organizers expect over 1 million spectators, and Chicago police will be conducting random bag checks of spectators carrying backpacks or large bags. Runners will not be allowed to leave unattended bags or clothing along the route or in Grant Park. Any unattended items will be collected and discarded.

More information can be found at www.chicagomarathon.com. To view the marathon's route, click here.