NASCAR Chicago Street Race over, but some streets near Grant Park still closed
Workers take down and load pallets of the remaining structures from the NASCAR Street Race on South Columbus Drive on Monday. The last street to reopen is Balbo Drive on Thursday. But soon, streets will close again for Lollapalooza.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Some streets around Grant Park that were expected to reopen by Monday remain closed as crews continue to take down structures from NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race.
Ida B. Wells from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive and Columbus from Jackson Drive to Roosevelt Road remain blocked off to traffic. Columbus and Wells were both slated to be reopened Monday according to NASCAR’S schedule.
Crews were seen working to take down the large viewing structure at Columbus and Ida B. Wells on Monday afternoon. Large trucks, heavy machinery and empty pallets were still on the roads.
Balbo Drive remained closed from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive. It was expected to be reopened Thursday, but a spokesperson for the Chicago Department of Transportation said Balbo will remain closed as crews begin to load in equipment for Lollapalooza.
A full map of the NASCAR layout in Grant Park.
NASCAR
The spokesperson said Columbus will be opened in both directions before midnight. Westbound Ida B. Wells will be open before midnight as well, but the eastbound lanes will open before midnight Tuesday, according to CDOT.
Jackson Drive from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive, which had also been closed, is now open.
Other major roadways closed from the race on Michigan Avenue, Roosevelt Road and DuSable Lake Shore Drive around the park have been opened.
Grant Park will be shut down again for Lollapalooza, which begins setting up July 21 and kicks off Aug. 3.
NASCAR’s schedule of road closures and reopening