Don't Forget, Traffic & The CTA Will Be A Nightmare During St. Patrick's Day Festivities
By Rachel Cromidas in News on Mar 10, 2017 10:38PM
The weekend of Chicago dyeing its river green, and Chicagoans dyeing their sidewalks puke-brown, is upon us again. Before you set foot outside this weekend, keep in mind that there are a couple of parades going on around town, and several street closures.
The city is continuing its yearly tradition of dyeing the Chicago River green, then celebrating with an official St. Patrick's Day Parade, on Saturday. The dyeing begins at 9 a.m. on Wacker Drive, stretching from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive, and the parade starts at noon at Columbus and Balbo drives, and will take Columbus north to Monroe Avenue. Streets will be closed down as early as 8 a.m. on Columbus from Roosevelt Road to Wacker Drive, along with several other east/west streets. The Office of Emergency Management recommends taking Lake Shore Drive or State Street as alternative routes.
On Sunday, parts of South Western Avenue will be closed for the massive South Side Irish Parade, which OEMC predicts will attract thousands of spectators to Western Avenue from 103rd to 115th Streets. Parking restrictions for the area begin at 6 a.m. Sunday, and Street closures along the parade route begin at 9 a.m.
Further north, the Northwest Side Irish Parade kicks off at noon at 6634 W. Raven Street. It will take Raven to Neola, then Neola to the Northwest Highway, and end at Harlem Avenue—so be aware of street closures and parking restrictions in the area before and during that parade, too.
Emergency officials said in a press release Friday afternoon that traffic and CTA ridership will likely be much heavier than usual this weekend due to the festivities, and they'd also like Chicagoans to keep in mind that public intoxication is prohibited. It "will be strictly enforced for the safety of all," according to authorities.
The Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) encourages participants, spectators and residents to enjoy the many Chicago St. Patrick’s Day events responsibly this weekend. Also, Chicagoans should be aware of traffic impacts throughout the city, especially on Saturday for the city’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Columbus and the South Side Irish Parade on Western on Sunday. Officials also said that, "If you notice something suspicious, notify on-site security, call 9-1-1 or call the official toll-free national anti-terrorism number at 855-RPRT-2S4 (855-777-8274)."
“While Chicago enjoys celebrations throughout the city, we want to remind folks that we must keep safety in mind and plan accordingly, OEMC Executive Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau said in the press release. “It takes all of us to watch out for each other to make these events successful and without incident.”