• CHICAGO PROTESTS

Live Updates: Chicago Protests and Unrest

Chicago reopens access to downtown area

It’s a lot easier to get into the Loop as of this morning. The CTA resumed bus and train service in and out of downtown, Lake Shore Drive reopened, and ramp closings on I-90/94 and I-290 have been removed, according to the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications. All Chicago River bridges that had been raised were scheduled to be lowered and open around 9 a.m., OEMC said on Twitter this morning.

The city had nearly locked down access to the downtown area for a week, a response to ongoing demonstrations and looting last weekend. Protests continued yesterday, including a march from Union Park on the Near West Side that drew tens of thousands of people. But the latest demonstrations have been peaceful, and the city opted to remove restrictions on downtown access even though more protests are planned around the city today.

Although access to downtown is being restored, a citywide 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew remains in effect until further notice.