CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Traffic into downtown was at a standstill Wednesday as the city blocked streets for the fourth straight night amid car caravans celebrating Mexican Independence Day.
The Office of Emergency Management tweeted Wednesday night that “various street closures remain in effect in the downtown area,” but noted that Lake Shore Drive remains open.
Officers blocked access to the bridges, allowing only some motorists through. They also blocked access to Michigan Avenue from Wacker Drive.
In a statement, OEMC spokesperson Mary May said that rolling street closures were “standard practice” for large caravans of cars, to “ensure public safety and prevent traffic congestion.”
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However, May also noted that police “received intelligence regarding possible disrupters who sought to hijack the integrity of Mexican Independence Day celebrations and caravans.”
“As a result, OEMC enacted additional short-term street closures in various neighborhoods as part of the City’s all-hands-on-deck efforts to provide safety to Chicago’s communities and the businesses that serve and employ them,” May said.
Chicago police did not immediately provide any additional details about the closures, but said they had not received reports of any “disrupters” Wednesday evening.
The city has been blocking streets around downtown and Little Village since Sunday night, when car caravans began roaming the city in lieu of the annual Mexican Independence Day parade, which was slated for Saturday but canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire & Chicago Sun-Times 2020. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)