CHICAGO – The Chicago Marathon will step off on Sunday when thousands of runners will traverse 26.2 miles from the city’s downtown, through the North Side, the Near West Side, and the South Loop.
The first wave of competitors will start as early as 7:20 a.m., which means major street closures along the course starting bright and early.
Here is what you need to know if you’ll be in the city on Sunday.
Street closures
What we know:
Anticipated street closures for the race will begin around 4 a.m., according to the Chicago Marathon website.
Other main roads are expected to remain open during the event, although additional street closures might be necessary if marathon officials deem it necessary.
Grant Park street closures:
- Balbo Drive from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive has been closed since Sept. 25 and will reopen at 3 p.m. on Oct. 17.
- Jackson Drive from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive will close at 10 a.m. on Thursday and will reopen at 6 a.m. on Oct. 14.
- Balbo Drive from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive will close at 4 a.m. on Thursday and reopen at 3 p.m. on Oct. 13.
- Columbus Drive from Ida B. Wells to Balbo will close at 4 a.m. on Thursday and reopen at 3 p.m. on Oct. 13.
- Columbus Drive from Balbo Drive to Roosevelt Road will close at 4 a.m. on Thursday and reopen at 3 p.m. on Oct. 13.
- Columbus Drive from Monroe Street to Jackson Drive will close at 4 a.m. on Friday and reopen on Sunday at 8 p.m.
- Columbus Drive from Jackson to Ida B. Wells will close at 4 a.m. on Friday and reopen at 8 p.m. on Sunday.
- Congress Plaza Drive from Michigan (Van Buren St. to Harrison St.) will close at 4 a.m. on Friday and reopen at 8 p.m. on Sunday.
- Jackson Drive from Michigan Avenue to Columbus will close at 4 a.m. on Friday and reopen at 8 p.m. on Sunday.
- Columbus Drive from Randolph to Monroe will close at 4 a.m. on Saturday and reopen at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
- Roosevelt Road from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive will close at 11 a.m. on Saturday and reopen at 6 p.m. on Sunday.
- Monroe Street from Michigan to Columbus will close at 4 a.m. on Saturday and reopen at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
- Monroe Street from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive will close at 4 .m. on Saturday and reopen at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 13: Runners compete at the start of the 2024 Chicago Marathon on October 13, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Street closures along race course begin at 6 a.m.:
- Columbus Drive from start to Grand Avenue until 10:30 a.m.
- Grand Avenue from Columbus to State until 10:30 a.m.
- State Street from Grand to Jackson until 11 a.m.
- Jackson Boulevard from State to LaSalle until 11 a.m.
- LaSalle Street from Jackson to Stockton until 11:30 a.m.
- Stockton Drive from LaSalle to Fullerton until 11:45 a.m.
- Fullerton Drive from Stockton to Cannon until 11:45 a.m.
- Cannon Drive from Fullerton to Sheridan until noon
- Sheridan Road from Diversey to Belmont until noon
- Inner Lakeshore Drive from Belmont until Sheridan until 12:15 p.m.
- Sheridan Road from inner Lakeshore to Broadway until 12:15 p.m.
- Broadway from Sheridan to Briar until 12:30 p.m.
- Broadway from Briar to Diversey until 12:45 p.m.
- Clark Street from Diversey to Fullerton until 12:45 p.m.
- Clark from Fullerton to Webster until 1 p.m.
- Webster Avenue from Clark to Sedgwick until 1 p.m.
- Sedgwick Street from Webster to North until 1:15 p.m.
- North Avenue from Sedgwick to Wells until 1:30 p.m.
- Wells Street from North to Walton until 1:30 p.m.
- Wells Street from Walton to Wacker until 1:30 p.m.
- Wacker Drive from Wells to Adams until 1:45 p.m.
- Adams Street from Waacker to Damen until 2 p.m.
- Damen Avenue from Adams to Jackson until 2 p.m.
- Jackson Boulevard from Damen to Halsted until 2:30 p.m.
- Halsted Street from Jackson to Taylor until 2:30 p.m.
- Taylor Street from Halsted to Loomis until 2:45 p.m.
- Loomis Street from Taylor to 18th Street until 3 p.m.
- 18th Street from Loomis until Halsted until 3 p.m.
- Halsted Street from 18th to 21st until 3:15 p.m.
- 21st Street from Halsted to Canalport until 3:15 p.m.
- Canalport Avenue from 21st Street to Cermak until 3:30 p.m.
- Cermak Road from Canalport to Wentworth until 3:30 p.m.
- Wentworth Avenue from Cermak to 26th until 3:45 p.m.
- 26th Street from Wentworth to Michigan until 4 p.m.
- Michigan Avenue from 26th to 35th until 4 p.m.
- 35th Street from Michigan to Indiana until 4:15 p.m.
- Indiana Avenue from 35th to 31st until 4:15 p.m.
- 31st Street from Indiana to Michigan until 4:15 p.m.
- Michigan Avenue from 31st Street to Roosevelt until 4:30 p.m.
- Roosevelt Road from Michigan to Columbus until 6 p.m.
- Columbus Drive from Roosevelt to the finish line will close starting at 4 a.m. until 3 p.m.
The following streets are expected to remain open:
- DuSable Lake Shore Drive: Northbound and southbound lanes will remain open.
- Inner Lake Shore Drive: Northbound and southbound lanes will remain open from Diversey Parkway to Belmont Avenue. Access to DuSable Lake Shore Drive will remain open at Belmont Avenue.
- Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90/94): Eastbound and westbound lanes will remain open.
- Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94): Eastbound and westbound lanes will remain open. The exit ramp at Adams Street will be closed.
- Eisenhower Expressway (I-290): Eastbound and westbound lanes will remain open.
- Stevenson Expressway (I-55): Northbound and southbound lanes will remain.
Also, all streets in the Loop will be open to traffic by 9 a.m. on race day, but organizers recommend taking public transportation to get around.
The towing of cars parked along closed streets will begin at 1 a.m. on Sunday. Cars will be ticketed and towed to the nearest auto pound. For questions about towed cars, call 312-744-4444.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 13: John Korir of Kenya celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 2024 Chicago Marathon professional men’s division at Grant Park on October 13, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Abbott Chicago 5K
What we know:
Saturday will also feature the Abbott Chicago 5K race in Grant Park starting at 7:30 a.m.
Street closures for that race will last between 6:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. as more than 10,000 runners pass through the area.
Closed streets will include:
- Ida B. Wells Dr., between Columbus Dr. and Michigan Ave
- E. Congress Plaza Dr., between Ida B. Wells Dr. and Michigan Ave.
- Michigan Ave., between Ida B. Wells Dr. and Balbo Dr.
- Harrison St., between State St. and Franklin St.
- State St., between E. Harrison St. and W. Harrison St.
- Franklin St., between Harrison St. and Adams St.
- Van Buren St., between Wacker Dr. to Franklin St.
- Southbound Wacker Dr., between Michigan Ave. and Van Buren St.
- Northbound Wacker Dr., between Adams St. and Michigan Ave.
- Jackson Blvd., between Wacker Dr. and Franklin St.
Michigan Avenue north of Ida B. Wells will remain open, as well as Lower Wacker Drive.
Schedule of events
What to Expect:
Runners will be able to pick up their packets at the McCormick Place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The Abbott Chicago 5K is scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Then on the marathon race day on Sunday, Grant Park will open to participants starting at 5:30 a.m.
Race start times:
- Men’s professional wheelchair race start: 7:20 a.m.
- Women’s professional wheelchair race start: 7:21 a.m.
- Handcycle start: 7:23 a.m.
- Men’s and women’s professional start: 7:30 a.m.
- High performance program start: 7:32 a.m.
- Wave 1 start: 7:35 a.m.
- Wave 2 start: 8 a.m.
- Wave 3 start: 8:35 a.m.
- Grant Park opens to spectators at 9:30 a.m.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 13: Runners pass the Chicago Theatre during the 2024 Chicago Marathon on October 13, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Marathon course
Big picture view:
The runners will begin on Columbus Drive in Grant Park, go through Streeterville, come back into the Loop before heading north as far at Sheridan Road in Wrigleyville.
They’ll then head south back toward downtown before turning west to as far as Damen Avenue, then taking a few turns through University Village, the Near West Side, and Pilsen.
The last stretch of the race takes them south as far as 35th Street and then back up Michigan Avenue before finishing in Grant Park.
Check out a map of the course below:
