Plainfield's 2012 Community Homecoming Parade is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 6, and Plainfield police are warning residents to expect delays and road closures as the festivities get under way.

Click here to read a roundup of homecoming-related activities and information.

The following information was provided by Plainfield police Cmdr. Ken Ruggles, who advised residents to expect major traffic congestion and delays in and around Plainfield, as well Plainfield Central High School:

Unless participating in or viewing the parade, motorists are asked to avoid the downtown area and parts of Routes 30 and Route 126 on Saturday morning between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and noon due to heavier than anticipated traffic movement and road closures.

Starting at 6 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 6:

• Police will begin closing Ottawa Street (west of the DuPage River) between Van Dyke Road and Ira Jones Middle School.  Ira Jones Middle School and Village Center Drive near the Village Hall will also become a controlled access for parade entries.

At approximately 8:15 a.m. police will close the following roadways:

• U.S. Route 126 (Lockport & Main Streets) at Wallin Drive, to Route 59
• Lockport Street from James Street to Route 59
• James Street from Lockport Street to Fort Beggs Drive
• Ottawa Street (east of DuPage River) from James Street to Illinois Street
• Fox River Street from Lockport Street to Commercial Street
• Des Plaines Street from Lockport Street to Commercial Street
• Illinois Street from Lockport Street to Commercial Street
• Commercial Street from Illinois Street to James Street
• Fort Beggs Drive from James Street to Pratt Lane
  • All downtown roads north of Lockport Street (Oak, Arnold, Penn, Des Plaines, Illinois) will be open to local traffic only by accessing traffic checkpoints. 
  • All roads south of Lockport Street along the parade route east of Route 59 will be completely closed; this does include the area directly around Plainfield Central High School.

No traffic lanes on Route 59 will be closed, however motorists should be advised that traffic congestion and delays are expected. All roads are expected to re-open between 11:30 a.m. and noon.

Parade staging and route

Parade staging and line-ups have been designated at the following locations:

• Band Drop-off (Buses)
  • Riverfront Park: The gravel area south of Lockport Street between the CN Railroad tracks and the DuPage River. Buses can turn around south of the fence.

• All youth football cubs (PJC, Plainfield Saints, Pop Warner “Warriors,” Tri-City Wolverines, Ravens Youth, and Plainfield Prowlers)
  • Staging will be in the field directly east of Ira Jones Middle School.  Participants should enter the school by accessing Wallin Drive (YMCA) off Route 126 (Lockport Street). Participants may be either dropped off on the east side of Ira Jones and walk to their designated position in the Parade line-up, or parents may park in the grass area south of Ira Jones and walk their child(ren) to their assigned spot in the line-up.

• Homecoming court, escort vehicles, designated VIPs
  • Staging in Dreyer Medical Center parking lot, next to Plainfield Village Hall on Village Center Drive.

• All other parade entries
  • Enter Wallin Drive (YMCA) from Lockport Street (Route 126) and proceed to Ottawa Street at the intersection with Ira Jones Middle School. Participants may be either dropped off and proceed to their assigned location or the vehicle can be parked in the grass area south of Ira Jones and the participant can be walked to their designated location.

The parade will begin at Van Dyke Road and Lockport Street at 9 a.m. The parade will travel east on Lockport Street and go south on Illinois Street. The parade will then go west on Commercial Street and then south on James Street, where it will conclude at Fort Beggs Drive. 

At the conclusion of the parade, band/bus pick-up and float parking will be in the south side Fort Beggs high school parking lot. Any walkers from the parade may be picked up either at the Community Park on Renwick Road or on the north side of the high school. Youth football participants will be directed to Renwick Community Park for pick-up.

Port-a-potties will be provided at/or near Ottawa Street at Ingersoll Drive, the Plainfield Village Hall, Ira Jones Middle School, Lockport Street near Des Plaines Street, Illinois and Ottawa Streets, and at Plainfield Central High School near the tennis courts/baseball fields.

For any questions related to the homecoming parade, road closures, parade route/staging or parking restrictions, contact Ruggles at his office at 815-267-7211.