Street Closures Coming Up For Hometown Irish Parade, Paddy Day Mile: Police

PLAINFIELD, IL — St. Patrick's Day will paint Plainfield green Sunday as the village will host the annual Hometown Irish Parade and Paddy Day Mile Run.

The mile race will begin at 12:25 p.m. at the intersection of Des Plaines and Lockport streets, with the parade stepping off at 1 p.m.

Plainfield police are encouraging anyone not viewing or participating in either event to avoid the downtown area between noon and 3 p.m. Sunday due to road closures and heavier-than-usual traffic.

This is what road closures are expected:

Starting at 5 a.m. March 15:

• Des Plaines Street north of Lockport Street and south Oak Street will be closed for parade bleacher
  viewing. This area will open shortly after the parade has concluded.
• Crowd barriers and traffic barricades will be prepositioned in the downtown area along Lockport
  Street, James Street, Des Plaines Street, Illinois Street, and Commercial Street.
• Parking along these same streets will be restricted. Vehicles that remain within the parade route
  will be towed/relocated at the owners’ expense beginning after 11:00 a.m.

Starting at 11 a.m. March 15:

• James Street between Fort Beggs Drive and Commercial Street will be closed for parade staging.

Starting at 12:15 p.m. March 15, these roads will close:

• James Street from Commercial Street to Lockport Street
• Lockport Street from Main Street to Route 59
• Illinois Street from Lockport Street to Commercial Street
• Commercial Street from Illinois Street to James Street
• Chicago Street from Route 59 to Fox River Street
• Ottawa Street from Route 59 to James Street
• Des Plaines Street from Oak Street to Commercial Street
• Fox River Street from Lockport Street to Commercial Street

Route 59 will not be closed, but delays and backed-up traffic are expected. All roads should reopen around 3 p.m.

Parade staging will begin at 11 a.m. at Plainfield Central High School, 24120 W. Fort Beggs Drive. Beginning near the football field, the process will then travel north on James Street, east on Commercial Street, north on Illinois Street, west on Lockport Street and south on James Street back to Plainfield Central.

No parking will be allowed along the parade route and on James Street between Fort Beggs Drive and Commercial Street beginning at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Parking can be found at Plainfield Central, the municipal parking lots on Des Plaines Street, across from Oak Street; on Illinois Street, next to the library; and at west Electric Park, by the riverfront. A limited number of accessible parking spaces will be designated on Des Plaines Street, north of the alley and south of Oak Street.