The scaffolding for great big grandstands has gone up, and orange cones, construction fences and "No Parking" signs are lining more than a dozen streets and sidewalks near Grant Park and the Loop in Chicago for next month's first-ever NASCAR street race.
But according to organizers, the biggest road closures are yet to come.
"The street closures, as they stand mainly, are for the race course itself," NASCAR representative Anthony Pascante said Tuesday during a joint press conference with city agencies including the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications, the Chicago Police Department, and the Chicago Department of Transportation. "There are going to be some other street closures outside the perimeter or the footprint just based on the race course itself."
Rolling, day-by-day road closures for the street race and music festival, scheduled to take place July 1 and 2, began earlier this month, with mostly sidewalk closures, lane reductions and parking restrictions. Soon though, parts of major Columbus Drive and Michigan Avenue will shut down -- and beginning June 28, lane closures on DuSable Lake Shore Drive will begin.
"So, the major street closure here is Wednesday, June 28th," Pascante said. "We have implemented a merging taper, similar that you see on other construction sites or even on the Kennedy, using barrels to taper traffic down based on the southbound Lakeshore Drive closure that will start near North Avenue."
According to officials, southbound lanes on DuSable Lake Shore drive will start shutting down June 29, and northbound lanes will close July 1.
On July 1, DuSable Lake Shore Drive will be closed in both directions between the Field Museum and just south of the Chicago River -- but lanes will be tapered and merged down to one lane well before drivers get to those closures.
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Southbound, drivers will be limited starting at North Avenue, and northbound, drivers will be limited starting at 47th street, officials said Tuesday.
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Additionally, "traffic will be reduced to one lane near Chicago Avenue, and traffic will get off at Grand with a merging taper down to one lane at Randolph," officials said.
Although detours will be in place, drivers getting to the museum campus, lakefront or harbor could run into a challenge.
According to NASCAR officials, those heading on northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive to the museum campus and lakefront harbors "must exit at I-55." However, "vehicles requiring access to the museum campus, harbors, lakefront area can exit at 31st, utilizing Fort Dearborn to 18th Street. That gives them access then to the campus and then in reverse," officials said.
Another option is to "take 18th Street and then head southbound either onto Lake Shore Drive, or onto I-55," officials added.
Last month, the Shedd Aquarium, The Adler Planetarium and The Field Museum -- all positioned near NASCAR street race territory -- released a joint statement about how the event would impact operations, saying that hours at some museums would be reduced.
"With thousands of participants and spectators along the route, as well as street closures prior and during the race, those traveling downtown and from the surrounding neighborhoods should allow extra time, expect delays, or consider alternate routes to avoid the impacts of the race," the statement read in part.
"Plan ahead. Plan extra time. There will be congestion. It's a holiday weekend regardless of the race," said Chris Pettineo, acting executive director at OEMC said. "This is what we do. We're not going to we're not going to drop the ball. We can't. We're Chicago."
What streets will remain open?
According to First Deputy Commissioner at the Chicago Department of Transportation Tom Carney, "DuSable Lake Shore Drive northbound will remain open from South Shore Drive to the I-55 merger. Lakeshore Drive southbound will remain open from Hollywood Boulevard to Randolph Street."
Additionally, most local roads and corridors of the downtown central business district will remain open, Carney said.
"You'll see State Street, Dearborn, Clark, LaSalle, Wells Street, Franklin," all open, Carney said. "And you have Upper and Lower Wacker Drive. Additionally, a lot of the east-west corridors -- Randolph, Washington, Madison, Roosevelt, West of Michigan, 18th Street and Cermak will also be available."
When will street closures end?
According to a press release from the OEMC, "motorists in the areas around Grant Park and the Loop during the week leading up to and during race weekend should be prepared for heavy traffic and possible reroutes."
Here's the full reopening schedule, according to NASCAR:
July 2
At the end of the event, officials said the priority will be centered on opening up DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Columbus Drive and Michigan Avenue "as soon as possible."
Northbound Lake Shore Drive is scheduled to reopen between McFetridge and Monroe and southbound Michigan Avenue will reopen between Roosevelt and Monroe sometime before 7 a.m. on July 3, officials said.
July 3
At least one lane of traffic is expected to reopen on southbound Lake Shore Drive by midnight on July 3. Northbound Michigan Avenue and eastbound Roosevelt Road will also see one lane reopen, while all of westbound Roosevelt Road is expected to reopen.
July 4-5
Beginning at midnight and continuing through 4 p.m., officials are expected to continue to remove track wall from the event on southbound Lake Shore Drive, fully reopening the road after 4 p.m., officials said.
Then, beginning at 4 p.m. and continuing through the morning hours of July 5, the remaining walls on northbound Michigan Avenue will be removed, "allowing for three lanes" to reopen.
July 5-6
Between July 5 and July 6 Congress Circle is expected to fully reopen.
July 6-7
Columbus Drive between Roosevelt and Balbo is expected to remain closed in both directions. Balbo Drive will also remain closed to traffic between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive.
July 8-9
Jackson Drive will remain closed between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive in both directions. Closures will also continue on Columbus Drive.
July 10
- Columbus Drive reopens in both directions between Roosevelt Road and Jakcson Boulevard, but one lane remains closed between Balbo Drive and Jackson Boulevard in both directions.
- Ida B. Wells between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive fully reopens.
- Jackson Boulevard and Columbus Drive intersection reopens.
July 11
Northbound Columbus Drive reopens fully between Balbo Drive and Jackson Boulevard.
July 12-13
Balbo Drive reopens between Columbus Drive and DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
July 14-15
All streets, parking and sidewalks are reopened.
