The Des Plaines Police have announced that due to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Religious Celebration at Maryville Academy, Central Road at River Road in Des Plaines will be closed to vehicle traffic beginning at 7 PM, Sunday, December 11, 2011. Central Road will also be closed at East River Road to any westbound traffic. Central Road at Wolf Road will be closed to any eastbound through traffic. All of these intersections will be manned with officers, squads, and barricades. It is expected that Central Road will remain closed until 6 AM, Monday, December 12, 2011. On Monday at approximately 6 PM, Central Road will once again be closed as listed above and remain closed until 10 PM.

The Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration begins at approximately 4 PM, Sunday, December 11, 2011 and ends with the closing Mass at 8 PM, Monday night, December 12, 2011. On Sunday night at midnight there will be a short fireworks display on the north end of the Maryville campus to celebrate “Our Lady of Guadalupe.”

Estimates for the number of people attending the Our Lady of Guadalupe event range from 80,000 to over 100,000, depending on weather conditions. There will be limited parking on the Maryville Campus. Most of the off-site parking is at Oakton Community College or various parking lots in Mount Prospect. Motorists should avoid these areas if possible. The Des Plaines Police have advised that River Road traffic in both directions is expected to be backed up continually during this time.