DETROIT – Here's what you need to know if you're headed to Downtown Detroit tonight for this year's Ford Fireworks.
WHEN:
The Ford Fireworks are scheduled to begin at 9:55 p.m. Local 4's coverage will begin at 8 p.m.
ROAD CLOSURES:
Surface streets south of Jefferson Avenue between Rivard and Jos Campau will be closed to pedestrians and vehicles at 2 p.m.
Freeways will begin closing at 6 p.m.
The following traffic changes will go into effect at approximately 6 p.m.:
- No northbound or southbound traffic will be admitted onto Woodward Avenue between Fisher Freeway and Congress except for emergency vehicles, D-DOT and SMART bus coaches.
- Jefferson Avenue will be closed to eastbound and westbound traffic between the Chrysler Freeway (I-375) and Griswold, except for emergency vehicles. All other eastbound vehicles will be routed north onto the Chrysler service drive.
- West Jefferson from Cobo Center westbound will be closed. Parking will be prohibited on West Jefferson, on Civic Center Drive and on Atwater to St. Aubin.
- Outbound traffic will be routed on West Jefferson from the Joe Louis Arena garage to Rosa Parks Boulevard; traffic will then proceed north on Rosa Parks to the freeways.
- Traffic on Gratiot Avenue between I-375 and Randolph will be routed one way northbound only.
- Traffic on Brush between Lafayette and Madison will be routed northeast onto Gratiot. Madison will be closed.
- Monroe Street, between Randolph and Woodward Avenue, will be barricaded and closed. Traffic on Monroe between Randolph and I-375 will be routed to travel eastbound only.
- Third Street at West Jefferson will be closed to the public and restricted for emergency vehicle use.
- Fort Street traffic between Cabacier and Rosa Parks Boulevard will be restricted to residents of the Riverfront Towers Apartments/Condominiums.
- Eastbound traffic on Fort Street will be allowed to turn right onto Griswold and proceed to the Lodge Freeway.
- Traffic on Trumbull between W. Fort and Fisher Freeway will be routed to travel northbound only.
- Traffic on Larned and Congress will be allowed to flow in respective directions, with no southbound turns except vehicles en route to the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel via Randolph.
- Michigan Avenue traffic will be westbound only.
- All traffic proceeding south on Griswold will be directed to the Lodge Freeway, via Congress.
- Eastbound Lafayette traffic will turn right at Griswold and proceed to westbound Congress to northbound Lodge freeway.
- St. Antoine traffic flow will be one way northbound from Atwater after the fireworks display.
- Woodbridge, Franklin, and Atwater between St. Antoine and Rivard will be one way, eastbound throughout the evening.
- Rivard will be one way northbound from Atwater to Lafayette after the fireworks display.
- E. Grand Blvd. will be used for outbound traffic from Belle Isle. Belle Isle traffic will proceed northbound on East Grand Boulevard and eastbound on East Jefferson.
- No parking on West Jefferson between 23rd and St. Anne.
- All the main streets – Michigan, Grand River, Gratiot, E. Grand Blvd. and W. Grand Blvd. – will remain open to allow motorists access to freeways. Woodward will remain open north of the Fisher Freeway service drive.
- Beginning at 2 p.m., surface streets south of Jefferson between Rivard and Jos. Campau will be closed to all vehicles and pedestrians.
- Beginning at 6 p.m., freeways will begin to close. **
- There will be no vehicular traffic south of Jefferson from Third to Joseph Campau.
BELLE ISLE:
Belle Isle will not open to traffic until 2 p.m. No early setup is allowed. The park opens at its normal 5 a.m. time for pedestrians and bikes.
GET DOWNTOWN EARLY:
Deputy Police Chief Renee Hall said people are encouraged to arrive Downtown, or to any of the viewing areas, early.
"Anytime before we shut the freeways off and prevent individuals from coming in, at approximately 6 p.m. That gives our individuals who work in the Downtown area an opportunity to get out," said Hall. "Anytime prior to 6 o'clock."
CURFEW:
A curfew from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. is in place for anyone under the age of 18 in Downtown Detroit -- the area bounded by the Detroit River, Third Street, Lodge Freeway, Fisher Freeway, the extension of Fisher Freeway east to Gratiot Avenue, Gratiot Avenue, Vernor Highway, Chene Street, Atwater Street and Chene Park.
"For anyone under the age of 18 ... if they're going to be out at the fireworks in the Downtown area they must be accompanied by a parent or a responsible adult. This is in no way to punish our youth, we just want to make sure they're safe, who they are with, where they are, so that we can keep everyone safe in the Downtown area," said Hall.
PARKING:
The Municipal Parking Department will not enforce parking meters after 5 p.m. on June 26. However, drivers are advised to observe parking restrictions. Parking violators will be ticketed, and in some instances, vehicles may be towed.
Motorists will be ticketed for:
- Improper parking (vehicles within 20 feet from crosswalk; within 15 feet from an intersection; within 30 feet of a stop sign or traffic control device; and within 15 feet of a fire hydrant)
- Parking in front of fire hydrants and bus stops or blocking driveways and alleys.
- Parking in designated zones, such as handicap zones (without proper credentials), fire lanes, no parking zones or no standing zones
- In addition, motorists should be reminded that cars can travel in the same lane as the QLINE but should not park on the tracks.
Parking Facilities and Lots
MPD will offer parking at the following City-owned garages and lots.
Ford Underground Garage 6 a.m. – 2 a.m. $10
30 E. Jefferson
Joe Louis Arena Garage Noon – Midnight $10
900 W. Jefferson
Millennium Garage 24 hours $10
432 W. Congress
Premier Garage 7 a.m. – Midnight $10
1206-08 Woodward Ave.
Grand Circus Park Garage 24 hours $10
1601 Woodward Avenue
Fireworks viewing from any parking facility and tailgating are prohibited. For more information, call (313) 221-2500 or go online to www.detroitmi.gov/parking.
Towed vehicles within the downtown area will be held at 2121 W. Fort Street. Vehicles towed on Belle Isle will remain on the island. Free shuttles to tow lots will be available from 4 p.m. – 1 a.m. Tow lots close at 1 a.m. The fee for towing is $215.
SECURITY:
Detroit Police Chief James Craig issued this statement on security:
"As it relates to terror, we remain in a constant state of readiness. I would rather be proactive than reactive. We will have a safe event, and in recent years we encourage families to attend and enjoy the festivities."
LOST CHILDREN:
Parents can find lost children in the following locations:
- Downtown – Cobo Center, Atwater Lounge (southeast corner-Atwater Atrium) – (313) 877-8064
- East of 1-375 – Martin Luther King High School – 3200 E. Lafayette Blvd.
- Southwest Area – Fourth Precinct – 4700 W. Fort Street – (313) 596-5400
BUSES:
For bus riders, the Detroit Department of Transportation issued these reminders:
- On June 26 between 5 and 11 p.m., the following routes will end at the Bricktown People Mover Station on Beaubien between Congress and Lafayette. The affected routes are #7 Cadillac-Harper, #10 Chene, #25 Jefferson, #34 Gratiot, #40 Russell and #48 Van Dyke. Passengers going to the Rosa Parks Transit Center should board the People Mover at the Bricktown Station and exit at Times Square Station.
- Starting at 5 p.m., the Dexter (#16) and Woodward (#53) routes will end at the Rosa Parks Transit Center.
- Passengers at the Rosa Parks Transit Center traveling east should board the People Mover at the Times Square Station and exit at the Bricktown Station to board eastbound coaches. Passengers must have a DDOT transfer to receive a People Mover token from DDOT personnel.
- Passengers at the Rosa Parks Transit Center traveling east should board the People Mover at the Times Square Station and exit at the Bricktown Station to board eastbound coaches. There will be DDOT personnel to assist with tokens to ride the People Mover.
- Additional service will be provided after the fireworks leaving downtown on an as-needed basis.
- Coaches will depart from the Rosa Parks Transit Center westbound and eastbound until 1 a.m. as needed.
- Coaches will depart from Bricktown People Mover Station on Beaubien between E. Congress and E. Lafayette (Eastbound Only) until 11 p.m.
DETROIT PEOPLE MOVER
The Detroit People Mover (DPM) will operate from 6:30 a.m. – midnight. Due to early closures, DPM trains will bypass Millender and Renaissance centers beginning at 2 p.m. and Cobo Center starting at 7 p.m. on June 26. There will be no public access to these People Mover stations. Financial District Station is the closest DPM station within walking distance of Hart Plaza. Patrons may enter or exit at the nearest available station, as the other DPM stations except those named above, will remain open.
The People Mover fare is 75 cents per ride, and children ages five and under ride free. For more information, go online to www.thepeoplemover.com or call (313) 224-2160.
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