A large number of car caravans celebrating Mexican Independence Day in downtown Chicago prompted city officials to halt incoming traffic from entering the city’s Central Business District on Friday night. NBC 5’s Natalie Martinez reports.
For the second evening in a row, the city of Chicago halted incoming traffic from entering downtown due to a large number of car caravans celebrating Mexican Independence Day.
The city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications said in a news release at 6:39 p.m. that the Central Business District was closed to incoming vehicular traffic from Division to 18th Street and from DuSable Lake Shore Drive to Halsted Street, citing "public safety due to large car caravans."
Those who must travel were advised to plan accordingly and allow for extra time. Individuals who live and work in the affected areas, including critical care workers, will be allowed access at one of the following points:
- Halsted/Division
- Halsted/Chicago
- Halsted/Washington
- Halsted/Madison
- Halsted/Jackson
- Division/LaSalle
- Roosevelt/Union
- 18th/State
- 18th/Michigan
- 18th/Indiana
Additional, intermittent street closures were expected to take place throughout the night, according to officials.
Hours earlier, OEMC issued a statement addressing the decision to close downtown streets as caravans took place during Mexican Independence Day celebrations Friday night. The office explained that there were no planned street closures for the remainder of the weekend, but said closures could be put in place if "deemed necessary for public safety reasons."
OEMC on Thursday issued an alert ahead of the celebrations, saying the city will be working throughout the weekend to "manage traffic and public safety," but warned that "car caravans that create a threat to public safety will not be tolerated."
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"We also remind everyone that drag racing and drifting are not only illegal, but dangerous," the agency said. "Anyone in violation of the ordinance will be held accountable."
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