DOWNTOWN — Car access to Downtown could be temporarily cut off to non-residents and workers starting Friday as the city preps for Mexican Independence Day celebrations over the weekend and into next week.
For years, car caravans of revelers have flooded Downtown during Mexican Independence Day weekend, causing traffic snarls and congested streets. Last year, the city temporarily closed off the Central Business District to most traffic to stem the flow of caravans and limit public partying.
The city’s emergency management department is ready to do the same thing this weekend and into next week, if necessary, according to a Thursday news release. Mexican Independence Day is Tuesday.
“In extreme circumstances, street closures limiting transit in the Central Business District and diversions to control traffic flow may be necessary,” according to the Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
That means car access to Downtown could be limited during certain times to people living and working in the area. If the city does shut down access, people may be asked to show their driver’s license or an employee ID at certain access points, which would be:
- Chicago/Green
- Halsted/Washington
- Halsted/Madison
- Halsted/Jackson
- Division/LaSalle
- Roosevelt/Canal
- Taylor/Desplaines
- 18th/State
- 18th/Michigan
- 18th/Indiana
Pedestrians would not be impacted by the closures.
The announcement comes as organizers postponed this weekend’s city-approved El Grito Fest in Grant Park amid the threat of immigration raids targeting Mexican Independence Day events.
A separate El Grito celebration is planned at 5 p.m. Monday at St. Paul Catholic Church, 2127 W. 22nd Place in Pilsen. A Mexican Independence Day parade is also planned for noon Sunday on 26th Street in Little Village.
In a Monday newsletter, Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd), whose ward includes parts of Streeterville and the Gold Coast, said the cancellation of the El Grito festival in Grant Park could result in more car caravans on Downtown streets.
“The recent and unfortunate cancellation of the sanctioned El Grito event, which helped mitigate illegal car caravans in the past, may have the unintended consequence of increased caravan activity,” Hopkins wrote. “The Chicago Police Department will be taking a multifaceted approach to keeping car caravans, many of which originate in the suburbs, away from our neighborhoods and Downtown, and I applaud their efforts.”
Hopkins and Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) are also distributing access passes to local property managers of buildings to give to residents who may be impacted.
“At the listed access points, residents can present these passes to the local [police] officers,” Reilly wrote in a newsletter last week. The comments were first reported this week by CWB Chicago.
This weekend’s expected festivities will take place a few days after the Department of Homeland Security launched a ramped-up immigration enforcement action in Chicago that it’s calling Operation Midway Blitz. Neighbors and community organizers have reported a “surge” in federal agents in the city, but there have been few confirmed arrests.
Last week, Mayor Brandon Johnson encouraged people to continue to celebrate Mexican Independence Day despite concerns over immigration arrests — although he said the city would hold any illegal gatherings or caravans “accountable.”
“We don’t support those individuals. That’s what I’ve said. We’re asking people to celebrate responsibly. Don’t cause mayhem in our beloved city. And the vast majority of people who come to celebrate don’t come with that level of nonsense,” Johnson said Sept. 4. “There’s a great deal of pride in our city to celebrate responsibly, and if any individual or individuals work outside of those parameters, they’ll be held accountable.”
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