The Chicago Gay Pride Parade’s attendance continues to escalate year after year. For 2012, there will be less parade entries, but a longer route to accommodate all the revelers.

Sunday’s celebration, which begins at noon, will include the Uptown neighborhood, and extend an additional five blocks in the name of safety and crowd control.

Alderman Tom Tunney, 44th, said organizers knew big changes were necessary when last year’s numbers were pushing up against 750,000 people, up from 200,000 attendees recorded only five years earlier.

“We knew the previous year’s route, which trapped many constituents in my ward between Halsted and Broadway for nearly the whole day, would no longer work,” Tunney said. “Last year, we had too much congestion in the central Lakeview neighborhood.”

The new route is intended to create more viewing space and additional access to public transportation, he said.

“We’ll also be able to open the streets back up to the community more quickly after the parade is finished as soon as possible,” Tunney said.

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