Chicago Drivers Daily Road & Traffic Alert — Friday, October 9, 2026

Friday traffic will be shaped by continuing marathon setup in the Loop and the first full day of the Bishop Ford’s revised outbound pattern. IDOT has postponed the I-290/Sacramento bridge project until October 13. Overnight Tollway schedules are weather dependent, so watch electronic message signs before committing to a ramp.

DOWNTOWN / LOOP

• Grant Park closure zone: Balbo Drive, Jackson Drive, Columbus Drive, Congress Plaza Drive and Ida B. Wells Drive remain restricted around Grant Park. Most of the closures that began Thursday continue through Sunday evening or Monday, while Balbo between Columbus and DuSable Lake Shore Drive remains closed through October 16. Use Michigan Avenue as the north-south boundary and approach garages from outside the event zone.

• Marathon bus changes: Routes #2, #6, #10, #J14, #26 and #28 continue to use Michigan and Roosevelt around the Grant Park setup. Beginning at 4 a.m. Friday and continuing through 8 p.m. Sunday, eastbound #7 and #126 and southbound #143 and #147 terminate at Michigan/Harrison, with return trips beginning nearby. These are CTA reroutes and do not by themselves confirm full closures for general traffic.

CHICAGO EXPRESSWAYS

• I-290 at Sacramento Boulevard: IDOT postponed the project to Tuesday, October 13, weather permitting. The first phase will use shoulder closures and intermittent overnight lane closures, while Sacramento Boulevard’s full closure between Congress Parkway and Van Buren Street is now expected in early November. No restrictions from this project are scheduled for Friday.

• Bishop Ford (I-94): Outbound traffic continues in the new pattern between Michigan City Road and 159th Street, with at least two lanes expected to remain open. IDOT warns of lane shifts, occasional overnight closures and significant congestion. The eastbound 159th Street ramp to inbound I-94 remains closed; use Torrence Avenue and Sibley Boulevard.

AIRPORT AND SUBURBAN APPROACHES

• I-294 near Balmoral, Lawrence and Irving Park: Thursday night’s announced ramp and lane closures are scheduled to end by 6 a.m. Friday. Similar overnight closures are expected through the weekend and October, but the Tollway says exact times vary. Treat message boards as the final instruction; the alert does not confirm a continuous full mainline closure.

• Touhy Avenue near O’Hare: Reconstruction continues from Elmhurst Road to Mt. Prospect Road with work on local airport approaches and the I-490 corridor. Expect shifted lanes and construction vehicles. Build a buffer into ORD pickups, especially during Friday afternoon congestion.

OFFICIAL SOURCES

Chicago Marathon closures: https://www.chicagomarathon.com/event-info/participant-information/course/street-closures/ (opens in a new tab)

CTA weekday changes: https://www.transitchicago.com/weekday/ (opens in a new tab)

IDOT I-290 notice: https://illinois-department-of-transportation.prezly.com/sacramento-boulevard-over-i-290-bridge-replacement-begins-oct-8 (opens in a new tab)

IDOT Bishop Ford notice: https://illinois-department-of-transportation.prezly.com/bishop-ford-159th-street-bridge-rehab-outbound-lane-changes-begin-this-week (opens in a new tab)

Illinois Tollway releases: https://agency.illinoistollway.com/media-center/news-releases (opens in a new tab)