Stretches of Lake Shore Drive, I-55 to be closed during NATO summit

NATO restrictions

Aerial view of McCormick Place, Lake Shore Drive and Soldier Field in Chicago. (Zbigniew Bzdak, Chicago Tribune / February 16, 2012)

Lake Shore Drive and Interstate Highway 55 near McCormick Place will be closed during the NATO summit, federal and Chicago officials announced today.

In addition to the highways, the security measures for the summit also will close significant portions of Columbus Drive and Roosevelt Road near the museum campus, and several streets near the convention center on the near South Side will also be closed.

The Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium and Field Museum will be closed Sunday, May 20, and while the museums will be open on the Saturday before the summit starts,  many parking lots on the museum campus will not be open.

Lake Shore Drive will be closed from Balbo Avenue to 39th Street starting at midnight on May 19, and reopening “for evening rush hour” on May 21, according to the statement from the U.S. Secret Service and the Chicago Police Department. No time was given to define the evening rush.

In addition, I-55 will be closed between Interstate 90/94 and Lake Shore Drive during the same period.

Most streets immediately surrounding McCormick Place will have street parking prohibitions in place, with parking barred on Indiana Avenue between Cermak Road and 24th Street a full week in advance of the summit. Parking prohibitions on other sections of the surrounding neighborhood will go into effect on May 15.

The transportation restrictions also call for “intermittent road closures” on streets surrounding the Willis Tower starting at 6 p.m. on May 19, the day before the summit begins.

Motorcades to and from O’Hare International Airport, as well as around the city, will bring intermittent closings of the Kennedy Expressway between O’Hare and downtown starting Saturday, May 19 through Monday, May 21, the statement said.

Other major streets expected to be effected with closings for motorcades include: Ohio and Ontario Streets from the expressways to Fairbanks Court/Columbus Drive, Interstate 90/94 from downtown to I-55, and Roosevelt, 18th Street and Canalport Avenue near the expressway.

Security officials said commuter train lines would remain open during the summit, but riders should expect delays on the commuter line served by Metra Electric District and the South Shore Line as it passes the McCormick Place stop, which will be closed May 20-21. Other stations also “may be closed as needed,” according to the statement.

Road closings also will effect CTA bus traffic, the statement said, but no details were provided.

Security on the lake, local harbors and the Chicago River will vary in intensity over the summit period, according to the outline.

The most secure area, dubbed Zone A, includes all waters and shoreline in a 2,000-foot radius of the Burnham Park boat ramp near McCormick Place, the announcement states. That area will be closed to all boat traffic beginning May 18 at 8 a.m., through the morning of May 22.

Commercial and recreational boat traffic will be allowed in other areas unless closures become necessary, according to the document. Security Zone B includes the shoreline in a 2,000-foot arc from the outermost tip of the Chicago lock.

Other zones include the river and the shoreline anywhere south of its mouth.

In addition, the announcement states that river bridges will remain down during the summit, not allowing boats to pass, and observers will notice the increased presence of theU.S. Coast Guard during the meetings.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the restrictions are in line with those seen in other cities that host international events. "There will be, so I don't minimize it, inconvenience," he said. "There will be change for those three days."

"I don't minimize that there will be inconvenience, but we're not the only city to have had forums. I think we're lucky to have this," he said at an unrelated news conference in Bronzeville.

Views: 63

Comment

You need to be a member of 12160 Social Network to add comments!

Join 12160 Social Network

"Destroying the New World Order"

TOP CONTENT THIS WEEK

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE!

mobile page

12160.info/m

12160 Administrators

 

Latest Activity

rlionhearted_3 posted photos
4 hours ago
Burbia posted a video

All In The Family | Mike Meets Archie For The First Time | The Norman Lear Effect

Gloria (Sally Struthers) has a new boyfriend called Michael (Rob Reiner) and she is very excited to introduce him to her parents (Carroll O'Connor and Jean S...
8 hours ago
Shawn H is now a member of 12160 Social Network
8 hours ago
Doc Vega posted blog posts
20 hours ago
Doc Vega posted a photo

entitlement

Congress makes Social Security that we paid in our whole lives into to some government giveaway and…
yesterday
tjdavis posted videos
yesterday
Sandy posted a video

'They’re Waiting for Us to Die': Area 51 Veterans Plead for Trump’s Help | Elizabeth Vargas Reports

Congress quietly killed the one fix that could have helped America’s “Area 51 veterans” prove where they served — and get the care they say they’ve earned.WA...
yesterday
tjdavis posted a blog post
Saturday
tjdavis favorited Burbia's video
Saturday
tjdavis favorited rlionhearted_3's photo
Saturday
cheeki kea favorited tjdavis's blog post Under An Ionized Sky
Friday
cheeki kea commented on Doc Vega's blog post To Each and every One of you here Happy Thanksgiving
"Hope you enjoyed your thanksgiving day. I've often thought it'll good if I could send…"
Friday
cheeki kea posted a photo
Friday
cheeki kea commented on rlionhearted_3's photo
Thumbnail

I joined Facebook after 5 years of suspension!!! It went as expected.

"Thats a mighty attempt lionhearted. The true art of perseverance so thumbs up!"
Friday
Doc Vega commented on Burbia's video
Thursday
tjdavis posted photos
Thursday
Doc Vega posted a blog post

Who Were the Silver Ghosts and Fork Tailed Devils Over Germany in WWII?

 The year is 1943 and the Germans are punishing the US Eighth Air Force during their daylight…See More
Wednesday
tjdavis posted a video

THE GREAT FLOOD Official Trailer (2026) Netflix | Global Disaster Movies 4K

🌊 A world pushed past the breaking point.In THE GREAT FLOOD (2026), rising oceans, collapsing cities, and unstoppable storms trigger a global disaster unlik...
Dec 8
Doc Vega posted a blog post

Mothman Prophecies

When suddenly the universe looked downIt seemed everything came unwoundI wondered if my sanity was…See More
Dec 8
rlionhearted_3 posted a status
"Joined Facebook after a 5 year absence. One absolutely undeniable picture that Hunter was in!!!!"
Dec 7

© 2025   Created by truth.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

content and site copyright 12160.info 2007-2019 - all rights reserved. unless otherwise noted