NATO and the LFP by McCormick Place?

So, I bike to work every day on the LFP from Hyde Park to Fullerton or thereabouts. I go right by McCormick Place every day and now this NATO thing has me paranoid that I'm going to have to plan to ride out of my way for several days in order to get to work. I figure worse case scenario I get off the path at 31st and ride up King Drive until I can get back on the path up by the Museum Campus. That's potentially an okay work around but I'm sure it'll add quite a few extra minutes to the ol' morning commute. Driving my car is likely to be a headache too, because I'd either get held up going by McCormick or I'd have to get to work by going over onto the Dan Ryan to bypass Lakeshore Drive south. Anyway, I sent an email to the city website set up to answer questions about the NATO summit and they essentially had no useful info on whether access to the path would be restricted or whether they would be issues with protesters blocking it, etc. I was told to sign up for some city website that sends out alerts on closures and such. Does anyone have any other info on possible closures or restrictions?

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on May 4, 2012 at 1:31am

Haven't heard specifics about LFP yet, but I would make alternate arrangements. These are a few things I heard about yesterday:

- All 3 museums will be closed Sunday and Monday

- Burnham Harbor remains closed until after the summit. Normally people would start moving in boats just about now

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on May 4, 2012 at 2:25am

I've been thinking about this too. Does anyone know exactly what will be closed to cyclists?

Permalink Reply by Duppie on May 4, 2012 at 2:50am

Here is a google map displaying the security zones.

LFP goes right through the security zone. I am going to guess that it will be closed

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&t=m&source=embed&...

Permalink Reply by Crank on May 4, 2012 at 4:39am

The Chicago website to sign-up for traffic alerts, closures, weather warnings etc. is Notify Chicago. You can elect to have alerts emailed, text messaged or phoned to you. Very helpful, convenient and timely.

https://webapps.cityofchicago.org/NotifyChicago/

Permalink Reply by Shelley Scott on May 4, 2012 at 5:56am

I used to take the lakefront path from Montrose to 47th every day, but fortunately for me I just switched jobs and won't be impacted by the closures....I assume the lakefront path will be closed, however....heck, they close it even when the President is visiting and on several occasions when he was in town for an evening event I got stopped at McCormick when I was heading north and had to backtrack and detour.

An alternate going from Hyde Park to Fullerton might be to take 31st over to State and then head north to Roosevelt and then east back on the path....but I'm wondering about the map's red-out of the Stevenson--looks like that will be closed from the Dan Ryan to LSD, so does that mean any streets that cross over or under it will also be closed around it? If so, looks like the best alternate would be going west to Halsted and taking that all the way north (though you'll have to detour after Chicago Ave because of the contruction on Halsted there).

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on May 4, 2012 at 7:25am

It's been my assumption that the path would be closed from the museum campus to 31st St. for NATO security.  You may want to consider Michigan or State for your detour.

In answer to Shelley's question, it's already been publicly announced that the Stevenson WILL be closed from LSD to the Dan Ryan as part of the security perimeter.

I'll share a favorite route through the south Loop, which would keep you clear of the museum campus area.  Take State to 14th, and turn left at the light into the Dearborn Park development.  Turn right on Plymouth Ct. (1st street).  After 2 blocks, you'll find a cul de sac with a curb cut to the sidewalk, leading under a short viaduct (Roosevelt).  After the viaduct, use another curb cut to return to the street.  Continue north on Plymouth until you hit another cul de sac (with a bike pass-through in the middle) just south of the old Dearborn Station.  Keep going past the old station and you'll be at Polk St. in Printers Row.  A quick left-right will get you onto Dearborn to continue north.  A right to the next stoplight will take you to State.  This is a pleasant low-traffic bike friendly route.

Cameron Puetz said:

King Drive goes right through the security zone as well, so that may not be a great detour.

Duppie said:

Here is a google map displaying the security zones.

LFP goes right through the security zone. I am going to guess that it will be closed

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&t=m&source=embed&...

Permalink Reply by S on May 4, 2012 at 9:04am

Lake Shore Drive is being closed so I'm pretty much certain that they'll close the LFP given that the LFP goes right next to the convention center.  I'd make alternate plans and expect to see a lot of gridlock and pissed off drivers on the roads.  It might actually be worth it to hope on the green or red line by UIC/IIT and jumping off at roosevelt. 

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on May 4, 2012 at 9:25am

Additionally, whatever the published plans for closures may be, remember that any number of law enforcement officials at the local, state and federal level will have the authority to order further closures on a moment's notice in response to perceived security threats. 

Permalink Reply by Liz on May 4, 2012 at 9:35am

Additional closures will also occur to transport officials from downtown and river north hotels to the conferences. I'd suggest avoiding the area in pink if you can.  I'm planning on working from home or taking the day off, I'm not interested in being in the loop for it. 

Kevin C said:

Additionally, whatever the published plans for closures may be, remember that any number of law enforcement officials at the local, state and federal level will have the authority to order further closures on a moment's notice in response to perceived security threats. 

Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on May 4, 2012 at 9:42am

From our Twitter: Just announced: NATO street closures Metra Elec/S.Shore OK, no word yet on LFT  



We're asking about Lakefront Trail, if we hear anything, we'll pass it on.

Thanks,

Ethan Spotts, Active Trans

Permalink Reply by Duppie on May 4, 2012 at 12:40pm

This press release states that the Museum Campus will be closed to all pedestrians starting Saturday evening. Neither the path, nor bicyclists are mentioned specifically, but I would plan for an alternate route.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/acrobat/2012-05/69760023-041320...

Permalink Reply by Bike Bloke on May 5, 2012 at 3:15am

I really don't understand why, if security is such an issue and NATO is mostly a military organization, the summit couldn't be held on a military base. Wouldn't that make sense, rather than cause disruption for hundreds of thousands of people in a major city? I bet they wouldn't dare try to do this in downtown NYC...

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