Residents and drivers in the downtown area are dissatisfied with the city’s handling of the Mexican Independence Day festivities for the second year in a row.
Why it matters: The city’s decision to block access to the Loop over the weekend created chaos on expressways, off-ramps and streets — raising questions about whether officials gave enough notice of the closings and concerns that the gridlock could happen again.
What they’re saying: Dozens on social media questioned the move, calling it unsafe and last-minute; others said the access points were unreachable.
The other side: When asked at Monday’s press conference about the response, Mayor Brandon Johnson called it his “ultimate responsibility … to make sure that we are creating safe spaces for the people of Chicago.”
“We got more things right than we got wrong, but obviously we need more improvement in tactical planning,” Alderman Brian Hopkins tells Axios.
Context: Last Wednesday, city officials said they weren’t planning to close any streets for the festivities over the weekend, but they noted that “traffic may be diverted to control traffic flow if needed.”
Details: The Central Business District was closed from Division to 18th Street and from DuSable Lake Shore Drive to Halsted. The street closings ended around 3am Sunday, OEMC said.
Zoom in: “All closures were put into effect only when it was deemed necessary due to large car caravans creating gridlocked traffic in the Central Business District,” the city said in a statement.
Reality check: Many residents and workers were already stuck in traffic when the closings were announced.
Of note: Illinois State Police say a trooper was struck Friday night on the I-90 southbound ramp to Washington Street by a driver who was attempting to pass during parade closings. State police say neither the officer nor the driver was injured.
Flashback: This isn’t the first time caravans have come downtown. Last year, police blocked streets and blocked the Central Business District, causing residents to complain. Downtown was blocked off in 2020, too.
Source: axios.com
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