THE LOOP — Signs warning of falling ice have been scattered all over the Loop for months now, making it easy to grow complacent about the actual threat of it happening.
But on Thursday afternoon, as temperatures rose and sun came out, the threat could no longer be ignored as ice crashed down from the tops of skyscrapers and sides of tall buildings, scaring pedestrians and causing traffic problems around the Loop.
The falling ice forced police to close Randolph Street from Wacker Drive to Canal Street Thursday afternoon, said Officer Veejay Zala, a police spokesman.
Most of the ice came from the top of the Boeing Corporate Headquarters, at 100 N. Riverside Plaza, police said at the scene.
The closure caused bumper-to-bumper delays down Randolph Street, forcing some commuters to abandon cabs to finish their route by foot. Drivers on Wacker Drive and Canal Street also experienced delays as traffic was rerouted around the area.
Ice chunks of various sizes continued to fall from buildings in the affected area Thursday evening. Officers said the street would be reopened "after sunset when the risk of ice falling became minimal."