Safety measures announced in Oakland ahead of Fourth of July holiday
OAKLAND -- With large crowds anticipated at Lake Merritt over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, the City of Oakland has announced temporary safety measures at many public gathering places. Along with Lake Merritt, the measures will be in effect at Grizzly Peak, a common gathering place for fireworks watching.
On Sunday, July 3, from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m., and Monday, July 4, from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., the following road restrictions will be in effect:
Lakeshore Avenue
- Closed between MacArthur Boulevard and East 18th Street.
- Lakeshore Ave. exit from 580 West will be closed. The Grand Ave. exit will remain open.
- No parking will be permitted.
- The following streets will be closed at Lakeshore Ave: Beacon St., Boden Way, Brooklyn Ave., Wayne Ave., and Hanover Ave.
El Embarcadero - Closed
Grand Avenue
- Closed between Macarthur Blvd. and Bellevue Ave. (east)
- No parking will be permitted.
- Bellevue Ave. and its cross streets will be closed at Perkins Avenue to non-residents. Bellevue will be open from Grand to Perkins to allow access to that parking and to Fairyland visitors. These closures and restrictions will improve traffic safety and allow for greater access for park visitors, bicyclists, and pedestrians around this narrow section of Lake Merritt. They will also allow for emergency vehicle access when needed.
The Oakland Fire and Police departments will be working in tandem with neighboring jurisdictions on actions to mitigate fire risk in the Very High Fire Severity Zone and throughout the city during the Fourth of July holiday.
In response to regional concerns about fire safety and emergency vehicle access, Grizzly Peak Blvd. between Skyline Blvd. and Centennial Dr. will be closed to all thru traffic along the following roads from 6 PM on July 3rd through 5 a.m. July 5th. Additionally, the following intersections will have electronic signage and personnel on hand to prevent thru traffic from entering:
- Grizzly Peak / Centennial Dr
- Grizzly Peak/ S Park Dr
- Grizzly Peak/ Lomas Cantada
- Grizzly Peak/ Claremont
- Grizzly Peak/ Skyline
Additionally, Panoramic Drive in Berkeley will be closed at Prospect St. to non-residents from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on July 4th.
Full-size maps are available online.
