Officials in Chicago are warning residents to allow extra time when driving near the downtown area on Sunday night, with celebrations for Mexican Independence Day and the El Grito festival expected to draw
thousands.
The Office of Emergency Management and Communication says that access to the Downtown Business District will be blocked on Sunday night to help with traffic congestion related to the celebrations.
Access will be granted to residents and employees, along with emergency workers, according to officials.
Jackson is closed through Grant Park for the El Grito festival, officials said.
“Intermittent closures” went into effect in the downtown area as of 6:40 p.m. Sunday, according to OEMC officials.
There is stop-and-go traffic on several expressways, but no ramp closures have yet been announced by Illinois State Police.
That news comes one day after officials shut down numerous downtown streets and blocked off exit ramps from the Kennedy, Dan Ryan and Stevenson Expressways. They also instituted access limitations to downtown areas, with designated checkpoints set up for residents, employees and emergency workers.
Access points in the Central Business District would be set up at:
Halsted/Division
Halsted/Chicago
Halsted/Washington
Halsted/Madison
Halsted/Jackson
Division/LaSalle
Roosevelt/Canal
Desplaines/Canal
18th/State
18th/Michigan
18th/Indiana
The city’s Central Business District is an area bounded by Division Street to the north, Halsted Street to the west, 18th Street to the south and DuSable Lake Shore Drive on the east.
It is expected that celebratory car caravans will once again be on the streets in celebration of Mexican Independence Day, which will arrive on Monday.
What’s more, additional traffic from the El Grito festival in Grant Park could bring additional residents to the area, leading to more congestion.
We will update this story with information on closures as it becomes available.