Watch CBS News

Made In America Road Closures Begin

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Made in America returns to Philadelphia this weekend, and the road closures and security measures are already underway.

It's starts off slowly enough: two lanes of Eakins Oval were closed on Monday, the Parkway inner lanes will close on Wednesday, the outer lanes and surrounding streets will be shut down on Friday.

Fairmount Civic Association Vice President Bruce Butler says, after four years of the event, neighbors are ready.

"People, if they are going to stay in town, have got a plan in place," Butler said.

Butler says the city's continually trying to streamline the process to minimize disruptions, but they're unavoidable in large events.

He says after the NFL Draft disrupted traffic for weeks, the city agreed to a moratorium on putting new events on the Parkway.

"There's a series of focus group meetings being held in the next month or so to discuss what's happened on the Parkway and presumably what we can do about it," said Butler.

For this event, the usual tight security measures will be in place, including a ban on drones over the area.

This is the final year of the original Festival contract, the one with Jay Z as curator. But he could be back.

City officials say they plan to put out an open request for proposals for a new contract.

ROAD CLOSURES BREAKDOWN:

To accommodate the venue construction and two-day festival, gradual road closures along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and in sections of the Fairmount neighborhood will begin on Sunday, August 27th, with the number and magnitude of street closings and parking restrictions increasing each day.

Phase 1 – 7:00AM on August 27 – 11:59PM on September 5:

  • Two lanes of Eakins Oval in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum

Phase 2 – 7:00AM on August 28 – 5:00AM on September 5:

  • Spring Garden Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Benjamin Franklin Parkway

Phase 3 – 7:00AM on August 29 – 11:59PM on September 5:

  • Parking prohibited on Pennsylvania Avenue from 22nd Street to 23rd Street (south side) and Park Towne Place from 22nd Street to 24th Street (north side)

Phase 4 – 10:00AM on August 30 – 5:00 AM on September 5:

  • The inner lanes of Benjamin Franklin Parkway, between 20th Street and Eakins Oval,
  • Cross traffic on numbered streets will be permitted

Phase 5 – 7:00PM on August 31 – 5:00AM on September 5:

  • 22nd Street reduced to one running lane between Pennsylvania Avenue and Benjamin Franklin Parkway

Phase 6 – 10:00AM September 1 – 5:00AM September 5:

  • Outer lanes of Benjamin Franklin Parkway, between 20th Street and Eakins Oval
  • 23rd Street, between Pennsylvania Avenue and Benjamin Franklin Parkway
  • 22nd Street, between Pennsylvania Avenue and Park Towne Place
  • 21st Street, between Pennsylvania Avenue and Winter Street
  • Kelly Drive outbound, from Benjamin Franklin Parkway to Fairmount Avenue
  • Outer lane of MLK Drive adjacent to Paine's Park
    Starting at 10:00AM on Friday, September 1st, due to the closure of the outer lanes on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, traffic headed inbound (to Center City), from Spring Garden Street Bridge or Martin Luther King Drive, must exit Eakins Oval on the 24th Street ramp.  Traffic headed inbound on Kelly Drive must exit Kelly Drive at Fairmount Avenue.

Phase 7 – 10:00AM September 2 – 5:00AM September 5:

The full extent of road closures around the festival site will begin at 10:00AM on Saturday, September 2 and remain through the duration of the event. A complete list of road closures and no parking restrictions is outlined below:

made in american road closures

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.