Commercial Street Criterium Will Bring Up To 500 Cyclists For Day Of Racing In Downtown Plainfield

PLAINFIELD, IL — Cyclists will take to downtown Plainfield Saturday for the third annual Commercial Street Criterium.

First held in 2024, the cycling competition features multiple competitive individual cycling races, each tracking how many times a cyclist can go around the course in an hour, akin to Nascar.

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Sean Metz, the event organizer, told Patch he hopes the Commercial Street Criterium will be an event that attracts everyone to Plainfield "because they know that on one weekend every summer, this is where they want to be."

"There are criteriums in towns across America that have been happening for decades," said Metz, an lifelong avid cyclist. "Generations of people have grown up with those races as part of their summers and part of their communities. They're events people circle on the calendar and look forward to every year. That's the dream I have for the Commercial [Street Criterium]."

A schedule for the day is published on the event website. Registration for the 11-category race, limited to 500 participants, is open until 9 p.m. Thursday.

"When the final race is over and the community ride takes over the streets, there's always this moment when I can finally take it all in," Metz said. "It feels a little surreal to look around, see the community out there enjoying something that started as an idea more than 20 years ago, and realize that we pulled it off. The day was a success. And then, almost immediately, I start thinking about next year."

These roads will close at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 29 to accommodate the criterium:

• James Street from Fort Beggs Drive to Lockport Street (Local traffic only will be allowed between Fort Beggs Drive and Commercial Street)
• Illinois Street from Commercial Street to Ottawa Street
• Commercial Street from Illinois Street to James Street
• Chicago Street from Illinois Street to Fox River Street
• Ottawa Street from Route 59 to James Street
• Des Plaines Street from Lockport Street to Commercial Street
• Fox River Street from Lockport Street to Commercial Street

Lockport Street will remain open, but drivers should expect congestion and delays.

The streets are expected to reopen at the conclusion of the event, around 6:30 p.m.

Those not viewing or participating in the event are encouraged to avoid the downtown area between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday.