2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race: City, NASCAR announce traffic plan for before, during, after race weekend

CHICAGO — The City of Chicago and NASCAR officials have announced the traffic plan for the third NASCAR Chicago Street Race, scheduled for July 5-6 (Saturday and Sunday) in Grant Park.

According to a city news release Monday, NASCAR and city officials collaborated to trim nearly two weeks off the overall build time, reducing total setup and breakdown in Grant Park to 25 days this year. That’s down from 43 days for the first event in 2023 and 38 days for the second event in 2024.

Additionally, the city says, traffic and street closures related to the course build have been reduced to 18 days this year, seven days less than in 2023 and one day less than in 2024.

“The City of Chicago has been working with NASCAR in the planning and execution of the 2025 race to further minimize the impact to residents and visitors,” Frank Velez, acting executive director of the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), said in the release.

“Safety is our top priority, and OEMC will help monitor all race activity leading up to the event, throughout race weekend and post-race to coordinate city resources.”

Here’s a breakdown of the 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race course build and traffic impact in and around Grant Park this summer, per the City of Chicago:

The course

Once again, Grant Park will hold both a NASCAR Cup Series Street Race and a NASCAR Xfinity Series Street Race this year.

The course will remain the same as in previous years, but changes to the park seating structures have been made in order to shorten the overall build time in Grant Park by two weeks, reducing street closures, parking restrictions, re-routes and traffic impacts.

Of note:

• The total park build this year will take an estimated 25 days, including setup and takedown.
• The first NASCAR-related activity in Grant Park won’t take place until 16 days before race weekend.
• Street closures related to the course build have been reduced by one day from 2024, for a total traffic impact of 18 days this year.
• NASCAR has adjusted the park load-in and load-out locations to allow East Ida B. Wells Drive, from East Congress Plaza Drive to South Columbus Drive, to be open a full 20 days longer.

Street closures and more

Pre-race activity in Grant Park:

• Thursday, June 19 – Beginning at 12:01 a.m. Full closure of Balbo Dr. from Columbus Dr. to DuSable Lake Shore Dr. “No Parking” restrictions will be put in place along SB and NB Columbus Dr. between Jackson Dr. and Balbo Dr.
• Friday, June 20 – Beginning at 12:01 a.m.: Curb lane closure on NB and SB Columbus Dr. between Jackson Dr. and Balbo Dr.
• Monday, June 23 – Beginning at 12:01 a.m.: Full closure on Ida B. Wells Dr. from Michigan Ave. to Columbus Dr., WB between Congress Plaza Dr. and Michigan Ave. will remain open and east bound will be closed.
• Monday, June 23 – Beginning at 10:00 p.m. until 6 a.m. Tuesday, June 24: Temporary closure of NB Michigan Ave. between Congress Plaza Dr. and Jackson Dr.
• Wednesday, June 25 – Beginning at 10:00 p.m. until 5 a.m. Thursday, June 26: Temporary closure of NB Columbus Dr. between Balbo Dr. and Jackson Dr.

Street closures:

• Thursday, June 26 – Beginning at 10 p.m. Closure of Jackson Dr. between Michigan Ave. and Columbus Dr.
• Friday, June 27 – Beginning at 12:01 a.m. Closure of Balbo Dr. from Columbus Dr. to Michigan Ave.
• Saturday, June 28 – Beginning at 10 p.m. Closure of Congress Plaza Dr.
• Monday, June 30 – Beginning at 12:01 a.m. Closure of Columbus Dr. from Jackson Dr. to Roosevelt Rd. 
• Wednesday, July 2 – Beginning at 10 p.m. Closure of WB and EB Roosevelt Rd., from Michigan Ave. and DuSable Lake Shore Dr.
• Thursday, July 3 – Beginning at 12:01 a.m. Closure of SB DuSable Lake Shore Dr. between Randolph St. and McFetridge Rd.
• Thursday, July 3 – Beginning at 10 p.m. Closure of NB and SB Michigan Ave. from Roosevelt Rd. to Jackson Dr. and NB DuSable Lake Shore Dr. between Randolph St. and McFetridge Rd.

Race weekend street closures (Saturday, July 5, and Sunday, July 6):

• SB DuSable Lake Shore Dr. from Randolph St. to McFetridge Dr.
• NB DuSable Lake Shore Dr. from McFetridge Dr. to Randolph St.
• NB Michigan Ave. from Roosevelt Rd. to Monroe St.
• SB Michigan Ave. from south of Monroe St. to 8th St.
• Monroe St. from Michigan Ave. to DuSable Lake Shore Dr.
• Columbus Dr. from Roosevelt Rd. to Monroe St.
• Roosevelt Rd. from DuSable Lake Shore Dr. to Michigan Ave.
• Jackson Dr. from Michigan Ave. to DuSable Lake Shore Dr.
• Balbo Dr. from Michigan Ave. to DuSable Lake Shore Dr.
• Ida B. Wells Dr. from Michigan Ave. to Columbus Dr.
• Congress Plaza Dr. from Harrison St. to Van Buren St.
• NB Indiana Ave. from Roosevelt Rd. to 13th St.
• Post Place: Entrance and exit of Lower Wacker Dr.
• Garvey Ct.: Entrance and exit of Lower Wacker Dr.
• Sunday, July 6 – Monday, July 7: Select streets will begin reopening following the conclusion of the event.
• NOTE: The priority streets to reopen are DuSable Lake Shore Dr. and Michigan Ave. Other street closures will remain in effect as demobilization of the track wall, fence and viewing structures takes place.
• NB DuSable Lake Shore Dr. will begin reopening Monday, July 7, at 6 a.m., with all NASCAR-related demobilization activity expected to conclude by end-of-day on July 14.

Streets with local access only for residents, businesses and their employees:

• NOTE: Sidewalks will remain open throughout the setup and teardown (June 19 – July 14).
• SB Michigan Ave. from Monroe St. to Jackson Dr.
• SB Michigan Ave. from 8th St. to Roosevelt Rd.
• 8th St. from Wabash Ave. to Michigan Ave.
• 9th St. from Wabash Ave. to Michigan Ave.
• 11th St. from Wabash Ave. to Michigan Ave.
• Balbo Dr. from Wabash Ave. to Michigan Ave.
• Harrison St. from Wabash Ave. to Michigan Ave.
• Ida B. Wells Dr. from Wabash Ave. to Michigan Ave.
• Jackson Blvd. from Wabash Ave. to Michigan Ave.
• Van Buren St. from Wabash Ave. to Michigan Ave.
• Monroe St. from Michigan Ave. to Columbus Dr.
• SB DuSable Lake Shore Dr. from Randolph St. to Monroe St.
• NB Michigan Ave. from 13th St. to 16th St.
• NB Indiana Ave. from 14th St. to 16th St.
• Columbus Underpass and the Chicago Lakefront Bicycle Path will remain open throughout the event (this includes Monroe St. and Roosevelt Rd.).
• Pedestrians traveling west must utilize and access sidewalk on the north side of Monroe St., Roosevelt Rd. or Columbus Dr. underpass only.

Alternative routes available:

• NOTE: Streets may be closed by the City of Chicago, if deemed necessary.
• DuSable Lake Shore Dr. NB will remain open from South Shore Dr. to I-55 merger.
• To visit the Museum Campus from the South: Exit DuSable Lake Shore Dr. at 31st St. and utilize Fort Dearborn Dr. to proceed north and access 18th Dr. 
• To visit the Museum Campus from the North: Access Stevenson Expressway (I-55N)/and merge onto N/DuSable Lake Shore Dr. Exit at 18th Dr. 
• DuSable Lake Shore Dr. SB will remain open from Hollywood Blvd. to Randolph St.
• Inner DuSable Lake Shore Dr. will remain open in both directions.
• Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90/94) will remain open in both directions.
• Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94) will remain open in both directions. Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) will remain open in both directions.
• Stevenson Expressway (I-55) will remain open in both directions.
• In the Loop – the following Streets will remain open: State St., Dearborn St., Clark St., LaSalle St., Wells St., Franklin St., Upper Wacker Dr., Lower Wacker Dr., Randolph St., Washington St., Madison St., Roosevelt Rd. – West of Michigan Ave., 18th St.

All businesses and residences will remain accessible during course setup, race weekend and the breakdown. For complete details, residents can download the community brochure, maps, street closure information, FAQs, parking restrictions and more at nascarchicago.com/localinfo.