Storrow Drive, Several Roads To Be Closed Before 4th Of July Fireworks
BOSTON (CBS) – Be prepared for some major traffic changes for the 4th of July Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on the Esplanade.
Read: Major Security Changes For 4th Of July
The Department of Conservation and Recreation announced Tuesday it will close parts of Storrow Drive in Boston, Memorial Drive in Cambridge, the Longfellow Bridge and the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge next week to accommodate spectators.
All roads will remain closed until the clean-up after the show is complete, which is expected to be Friday morning, July 5.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the closures from the DCR:
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
12:01 AM: NO parking on Mugar Way until 8:00 AM on July 5. All vehicles shall be removed.
6:00 AM: The right lane of Storrow Drive westbound will be closed to allow for event related permitted activity from the Longfellow Bridge to the Fiedler Footbridge. Vehicular traffic will continue eastbound on all lanes and west bound on Storrow Drive left lane until noon.
7:30 AM: The enhanced security area of the Esplanade between Community Boating and Dartmouth Street, including the Hatch Memorial Shell and the Oval, shall close to all pedestrians and cyclists. Park users will be detoured off the Esplanade at the Dartmouth Street Footbridge and the Community Footbridge at Charles Circle. The Fiedler Footbridge from Beacon Street to the Esplanade will also close at this time.
12:00 PM: Storrow Drive East and West closes from Charles Street Circle to the Bowker Overpass (just past the Mass. Ave Bridge, connecting to Charlesgate and the Fenway), until July 5. Mugar Way at Beacon Street closes to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Berkley Street at Beacon St closes to vehicular traffic. Pedestrians will be directed to Berkley Street for entrance to the Esplanade.
4pm: Oval opens to Rehearsal Concert attendees
Attendees may NOT bring tents/canopies on July 3.
7:30 PM Pops Rehearsal Concert Begins at Hatch Memorial Shell
9:00 PM Concert ends. Oval again closes to public for cleanup and preparation for the next day's events.
There are no fireworks during the July 3rd's rehearsal Concert.
Thursday, July 4, 2013: Independence Day
12:01 AM: No parking will be allowed on Memorial Drive (either side) from #450 Memorial Drive to the Longfellow Bridge; #1 Memorial Drive; Cambridge Parkway; Riverside Boat Club and Magazine Beach/Pool, AND #1 Land Blvd.
7:00 AM: Closure of Storrow Drive extends: no access to Storrow Drive (east and westbound) will be allowed between Leverett Circle and Bowker Overpass. The Storrow Drive exit ramp (Liberty Tunnel) from the Tip O'Neil Tunnel shall be closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles. Traffic will be allowed to travel on Msgr. O'Brien Highway to Cambridge and Martha Road to Boston.
The Community Footbridge at Charles Street Circle to the Esplanade shall be closed.
Mugar Way at Beacon Street shall be closed to all pedestrian traffic. Pedestrians wishing to enter the Esplanade will be directed down Beacon Street to Berkeley Street for entry.
10:00 AM: The right lane of the Charles River Dam Road and Craigie Draw Bridge shall be closed from Museum Way to Leverett Circle. This lane will be designed for emergency vehicles and event staff.
3:00 PM: No access to Storrow Drive westbound from the Bowker Overpass at Kenmore Square and no access to Storrow Drive westbound from the Beacon St. on-ramp under the Bowker overpass.
4:00 PM: Memorial Drive will close eastbound and westbound between the BU Bridge and the Longfellow Bridge. All side streets in the City of Cambridge leading to Memorial Drive will close. This includes: Main Street from Third Street to the Longfellow Bridge; Ames Street from Main Street to Memorial Drive; Wadsworth and Amherst Streets; Land Boulevard from Binney Street to Longfellow Bridge; Hayward Street; Carlton Street; Charlotte's Way; and Dock Street. Vehicle access to One Memorial Drive will be allowed by permit only.
4:00 PM: No access to the Harvard (aka Mass. Ave.) Bridge for vehicles or pedestrians from Beacon Street in Boston to Vassar Street in Cambridge. Vassar Street in Cambridge will close from Mass. Ave. to Memorial Drive. Local resident access will be allowed.
The Longfellow Bridge will close outbound (Boston to Cambridge) to all pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The inbound side (from Cambridge to Boston) will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists.
6:00 PM: Local Radio broadcast of the event begins (WBZ NewsRadio 1030)
7:00 PM: Local television broadcast begins (WBZ-TV).
7:30 PM: Concert begins.
9:30 PM: Fireworks begin.
10:00 PM: Concert and fireworks end.
9:15 PM: Third Street in Cambridge becomes one way from Main Street to the Msgr. O'Brien Highway. The Craigie Draw Bridge (at Leverett Circle) will remain in the down position for two hours until vehicle traffic subsides. Smaller boats that can pass under the bridge while the bridge is in the down position will be allowed to pass downstream to the Charles River Dam locks.
For the eleventh year in a row, WBZ-TV will be the exclusive television partner for the July 4th Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular. This year's broadcast will run from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m., hosted by WBZ-TV News anchors Lisa Hughes and Jonathan Elias and featuring WBZ-TV's Jack Williams, Paula Ebben and Todd Gutner.
The show will also air locally on WBZ NewsRadio 1030, hosted by Jordan Rich and WBZ News anchor Joe Mathieu.
Live audio of the event will be available at CBSBoston.com.
