NATO-G8 Wed Apr 25 2012

NATO Summit Security Zones Revealed

By Andrew Huff

The Secret Service met with residents, protestors and the ACLU on Tuesday to share details about the security zone around the NATO Summit May 20-21. Naturally the protestors then shared those details with the press. The Secret Service would not confirm the map, but according to Andy Thayer, a spokesman for the Coalition Against NATO/G8, the security perimeter west of Lake Shore Drive will bounded by Indiana Avenue to west, the lake shore to the east, 25th Avenue to the south and 21st Avenue to the north. East of Lake Shore Drive, the security zone will extend up to McFetridge Drive, just south of the Field Museum, though it may move as far north as Roosevelt Road should NATO events take place at the museum itself. Please note updated boundaries in the updates below.

View Chicago NATO Summit Security Perimeter & Other Closures in a larger map

Additionally, 1-55 east of the Dan Ryan and Lake Shore Drive between 31st Avenue and Roosevelt Road will be closed while the summit is in session; it's not clear if that's a 24-hour closure or just during business hours.

Several water security zones have also been established by the US Coast Guard. A portion of Lake Michigan encompassing Burnham Harbor and Navy Pier as well as long stretches of the Chicago River will be closed between May 16 and May 24. No commercial or private vessel will be allowed within the security zones without Coast Guard permission -- however, Crain's reports in practice these zones will most likely only be enforced when there is immediate security need -- such as when President Obama, who is staying at the Sheraton Hotel at Columbus Drive and North Water Street, is on the move.

Residents affected by the security zone are now left to decide whether to stick around or deal with the hassle. Meanwhile, protestors are complaining because the security measures mean that the planned march, filed for an approved by the city months ago, will not be able to end in front of McCormick Place as planned. Instead, the closest it will get is Michigan and Cermak.

UPDATE: The Sun-Times reports that the Secret Service will initiate a security zone within the South Loop beginning May 1 intended to protect federal buildings located in the area. Dubbed the "Red Zone," it will be bounded by Franklin Street on the west, State Street on the east, Adams Street on the north and Harrison Street on the South. It will be patrolled by uniformed police and personnel from the Federal Protective Service, who will be carrying non-lethal weapons such as beanbag guns.

UPDATE May 8: Further closures have been announced, and are now reflected in the map. The Lake Shore Drive/I-55 closure has been extended up to Balbo Avenue and down to 39th Street (Pershing Road) beginning at midnight on Saturday, May 19 and lasting until sometime before "evening rush hour" on the 21st. Additional intermittent road closures will affect the I-90 and 1-90/94 between O'Hare and I-55; Ohio and Ontario Streets from the expressway to the Sheraton; and Roosevelt Road, 18th Street and Canalport Road near the expressway. Streets surrounding the Sears Tower (aka Willis) will also be affected.

UPDATE May 9: The Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium and Art Institute will be closed May 19-21. The Field Museum plans to be open on the 19th and 21st, but the entire Museum Campus will be closed on May 20.

UPDATE May 11: Metra has released a schedule of station closures during the summit that is broader than previously announced. Although the Metra Electric and South Shore rail lines will continue to operate, the 47th Street, 27th Street, McCormick Place, 18th Street and 11th Street/Museum Campus stations will be closed May 19, 20 and 21. On Monday, May 21, the entire Blue Island branch of the Metra Electric line will be shut down, and all stations on the main line from 111th Street north to 11th Street/Museum Campus and the 87th Street, Cheltenham, Windsor Park and Bryn Mawr stations on the South Chicago branch will be closed to inbound traffic. Inbound main line trains scheduled to arrive at the Millennium Park terminal between 12:57pm and 6:46pm will not operate. Outbound service will continue as normal all day. The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District has said that South Shore Line trains will operate as normal, but that "passengers should anticipate significant security related delays en route."

UPDATE May 13: The CTA has released a list of bus reroutes during the summit.