Lake Shore Drive, I-55, Museums Will Close For NATO Summit
By Samantha Abernethy in News on May 5, 2012 7:00PM
Planes, trains and automobiles will be disrupted during the NATO summit on May 19. And so will boats, pedestrians and museum-goers. The U.S. Secret Service revealed more information on its security restrictions, and it's becoming increasingly obvious that you should probably just not move that weekend.
There will be "intermittent road closures" on the Kennedy Expressway May 19-May 21 to accommodate for motorcades, and sections of Lake Shore Drive and I-55 (highlighted in yellow above) will close. The Museum Campus will be closed Sunday, and while the Adler, the Shedd and the Field will be open Saturday, many of the parking lots will not be.
As for walking near the museums on Sunday? The AP reports, "No one will be allowed to even walk around the picturesque area on the shores of Lake Michigan." Parking restrictions near McCormick Place start the morning of Tuesday, May 15.
Here are some of the other street closures. The Sun-Times writes:
Lake Shore Drive between Balbo and 39th; I-55 between the Ryan and Lake Shore Drive; Columbus Drive at Balbo; Roosevelt Road between Michigan Avenue and Lake Shore Drive; Indiana between 21st and 25th; Calumet from Cullerton to Cermak; Prairie between 21st and 25th; 21st between Indiana and Calumet; Cermak from Michigan Avenue to King Drive; 24th Place and 25th Street between King Drive and State; Wabash from 24th Place to 25th Street; King Drive from 26th Street to Cermak; Moe Drive from 31st to Mines; 31st from Cottage Grove to Fort Dearborn Drive and Fort Dearborn Drive from 31st Street to Lakeside Center.
If this makes you decide to take the train instead, be prepared for "airport-style security" on the Metra's Electric Line and South Shore Line. That's a concession Metra had to make to keep the rail-lines below McCormick Place open.
Other items to note:
- There will be a no-fly-zone for small aircraft over Chicago during the summit.
- This is what the security perimeter looks like.
- And don't try to take your boat out on the lake, either.