NASCAR Chicago Street Race: Street closures begin Monday

The NASCAR Chicago Street Race is set to return for a second year, drawing thousands of participants to Grant Park on July 6-7, prompting numerous street closures and downtown rerouting.

Closures began Monday, nearly a month before the event, to allow for installation. The set-up and take-down period was reduced from 25 days to 19 days, after last year's race drew criticism due to traffic and limited lakefront accessibility.

Motorists should prepare for heavy traffic and detours throughout the event, according to the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications. The CTA and Metra will provide additional services.

More than half of Grant Park will remain open to the public throughout the event, including popular features such as Buckingham Fountain, Butler Field and Lower Hutchinson Field.

All NASCAR demobilization activities are expected to end July 18, the city said. Here is a complete list of street closures throughout the event.

Pre-race activity at Grant Park

• June 10: Ida B. Wells Drive will be closed from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive beginning at 12:01 a.m. to allow for construction of primary viewing areas; and limited parking restrictions will be in place along southbound Columbus Drive between Jackson Drive and Balbo Drive.

• June 19 to June 20: Temporary road closure from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. on northbound Michigan Avenue from Congress Circle to Jackson Drive to allow for the installation of a pedestrian bridge while the observation structures are assembled.

• June 26 – From 8 p.m.: Closure of the northbound traffic lane on Congress Circle

• June 27 – From 7 p.m.: Closure of the lane along Columbus Drive between Jackson Drive and Roosevelt Road

Major street closures

• June 27 – From 7 p.m.: Closure of Jackson Drive between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive

• June 28 – From 8 a.m.: Closure of Balbo Drive from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive (intersection will remain open)

• June 28 – From 7 p.m.: Complete closure of Balbo Drive from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive

• June 29 – From 7 p.m.: Southbound lane closure on Columbus Drive from Balbo Drive to Roosevelt Road

• July 1 – From 1 a.m.: Closure of Columbus Drive between Jackson Drive and Roosevelt Road. Closure of Jackson Drive between Columbus Drive and DuSable Lake Shore Drive

• July 1 – From 9 p.m.: Closure of southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive between Randolph Street and McFetridge Road. Reopening at 6 a.m. on July 2

• July 2 – From 6 a.m.: Closure of Congress Circle and entrances at Michigan Avenue, Van Buren Street and Harrison Street

• July 4 – From 9 p.m.: Closure of westbound and eastbound Roosevelt Road between Michigan Avenue and DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Closure of northbound Michigan Avenue between Roosevelt Road and Jackson Drive

• July 5 – From 12:01 a.m.: Closure of DuSable Lake Shore Drive northbound and southbound between Randolph Street and McFetridge Road. Closure of southbound Michigan Avenue between Roosevelt Road and Jackson Drive. Closure of the northbound lane of Indiana Avenue at 13th Street. Closure of Monroe Street between Columbus Drive and DuSable Lake Shore Drive

Street closures on race weekend – July 6 and 7

• DuSable Lake Shore Drive southbound from Randolph Street to McFetridge Drive

• Northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive from McFetridge Drive to Randolph Street

• Michigan Avenue northbound from Roosevelt Road to Jackson Drive

• Michigan Avenue southbound from Jackson Drive to 8th Street

• Monroe Street from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive

• Columbus Drive, from Roosevelt Road to Monroe Street

• Roosevelt Road from DuSable Lake Shore Drive to Michigan Avenue

• Jackson Drive from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive

• Balbo Drive from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive

• Ida B. Wells Drive, from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive

• Congress Circle, Harrison Street to Van Buren Street

• Indiana Avenue northbound from Roosevelt Road to 13th Street

• Post location: Lower Wacker Drive entrance and exit

• Garvey Court: Lower Wacker Drive entrance and exit

• Reopening schedule: The northbound section of DuSable Lake Shore Drive is scheduled to reopen July 8 at 6 a.m. After the event, some streets will gradually reopen

• Priority streets: Priority streets for reopening are DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive. Other street closures will remain in place until demobilization of the railway wall, fence and observation structures is completed. All NASCAR-related demobilization activities are expected to conclude by end of day July 18.

Streets with local access only for residents, businesses and their employees

The sidewalks will remain open during the entire assembly and dismantling period (June 10 to July 18).

• Michigan Avenue southbound from Monroe Street to Jackson Drive

• Michigan Avenue southbound from 8th to Roosevelt Road

• 8th Street, from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue

• 9th Street, from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue

• 11th Street, from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue

• Balbo Drive from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue

• Harrison Street, from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue

• Ida B. Wells from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue

• Jackson Boulevard. from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue

• Van Buren Street, from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue

• Monroe Street, from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive

• DuSable Lake Shore Drive southbound from Randolph Street to Monroe Street

• Michigan Avenue northbound from 13th to 16th Street

• Indiana Avenue northbound from 14th to 16th Street

• Columbus Underpass and the Chicago Lakefront Bike Path will remain open throughout the event (this includes Monroe Street and Roosevelt Road)

• Pedestrians traveling west should use and access the sidewalk on the north side of Monroe Street, Roosevelt Road or the Columbus Drive underpass only.

Alternate routes available – streets may be closed by the City of Chicago, if deemed necessary

• DuSable Lake Shore Drive Northbound will remain open from South Shore Drive to the I-55 merge

• To visit the museum campus from the south: Exit DuSable Lake Shore Drive at 31st Street and use Fort Dearborn Drive to continue north to 18th Parkway.

• To visit the museum campus from the north: Get off the Stevenson Expressway (I-55N) and exit at DuSable Lake Shore Drive at 18th Street.

• DuSable Lake Shore Drive Southbound will remain open from Hollywood Boulevard to Randolph Street

• Inner DuSable Lake Shore Drive will remain open in both directions

• The Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90/94) will remain open in both directions

• The Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94) will remain open in both directions. The Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) will remain open in both directions

• The Stevenson Expressway (I-55) will remain open in both directions

• In the Loop, the following streets will remain open: State Street, Dearborn Street, Clark Street, LaSalle Street, Wells Street, Franklin Street, Upper Wacker Drive, Lower Wacker Drive, Randolph Street, Washington Street, Madison Street, Roosevelt Road – west of Michigan Avenue, 18th Street