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Road Closures, Public Transportation Information Announced For Wawa Welcome America Festival

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The City of Philadelphia has announced road closures and public transportation information ahead of Wawa's Welcome America Festival beginning this weekend. The six-day festival, which begins Saturday and runs till the 4th of July, features more than 50 free events throughout the city.

Several areas across the city, including streets near Independence Mall and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, will be impacted by the events. Here's everything you need to know about the road closures and detours in place.

ROAD CLOSURES

Sunday – June 30, 2019

Historic Philadelphia Block Party & Gospel on Independence
Event activity for the block part and gospel concert begins around Noon and runs until 8:30 p.m. on Independence Mall and surrounding streets:

  • 6th Street, between Arch and Chestnut Streets, will be closed from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
  • 5th Street, between Arch and Chestnut Streets, will be closed from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
  • Chestnut Street, between 5th and 6th Streets, will be closed from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
  • Market Street, between 5th and 6th Streets, will be closed from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Philly @ the Movies – Rocky Movie Night
Rocky-themed movie night beginning at 5:30 p.m. on the steps and apron of the Philadelphia Museum of Art:

  • Westernmost travel lane of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at Eakins Oval will be closed in front of the Art Museum between Kelly Drive and MLK Drive entrance from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Eakins Oval, in front of the Art Museum, will be closed from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
  • Kelly Drive inbound will be detoured onto Fairmount Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue

Monday – July 1, 2019

U.S. Army Field Band Concert
Concert and family-friendly activities beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Penn's Landing:

  • Chestnut/Market Street Viaduct, from Front and Chestnut Streets to 2nd and Market Streets, will be closed from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Tuesday – July 2, 2019

POPS on Independence and Celebration of Freedom Ceremony Stage Construction

  • Chestnut Street, between 5th and 6th Streets, will be closed from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Wawa Hoagie Day
Event begins at Noon on the lawn of the National Constitution Center:

  • Arch Street, between 5th and 6th Streets, will be closed from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Kimmel Center's Great American Party on the Plaza
Broadway and Navy Band performance beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the Kimmel Center:

  • Spruce Street, between Broad and 15th Streets, will be closed from 12:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
  • Westernmost travel lane of Broad Street (southbound side), between Locust and Pine Streets, will be closed from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday – July 3, 2019

PECO Go 4th & Learn with the Philadelphia Fire Department
Family-friendly event focusing on fire safety and education beginning at 9:00 a.m. at 101 N. 4th Street:

  • Arch Street, between 3rd and 4th Streets, will be closed from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

POPS on Independence and Celebration of Freedom Ceremony Stage Construction

  • Chestnut Street, between 5th and 6th Streets, will be closed from approximately 9:00 a.m. on July 3 through 7:00 p.m. on July 4, 2019
  • 6th Street, between Market and Chestnut Streets, will be closed from approximately 9:00 a.m. on July 3 through 3:00 p.m. on July 4, 2019

Party on the Parkway Site Build

  • Inner lanes of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, between 20th Street and Eakins Oval, will be closed beginning at 9:30 a.m.
    • Inner westbound lanes of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will reopen between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. for evening rush hour
    • Inner lanes of Benjamin Franklin Parkway will close completely (both directions) at 6:30 p.m. through event breakdown on July 4

Thursday – July 4, 2019

Celebration of Freedom Ceremony and Salute to America Independence Day Parade
Celebration of Freedom Ceremony, Salute to America Independence Day Parade, and related Wawa Welcome America activities on Independence Mall. Activities take place throughout the day, beginning at 10:00 a.m.:

  • Chestnut Street, between 5th and 6th Streets, from prior day closures will be in effect until 7:00 p.m.
  • 6th Street, between Market and Chestnut Streets, from prior day closures will be in effective until 3:00 p.m.
  • 3rd Street, between Arch and Walnut Streets, will be closed from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • 4th Street, between Arch and Walnut Streets, will be closed from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • 5th Street, between Arch and Walnut Streets, will be closed from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • Chestnut Street, from Front Street to 7th Street, will be closed from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • Chestnut Street, from 7th Street to 10th Street, will be closed from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The remainder of the morning parade route will be closed at approximately 10:00 a.m. on July 4, 2019.

Parade Route: Staging in the 400 block of Chestnut Street. Proceeds west on Chestnut to 9th Street, north on 9th Street to Market Street, east on Market Street to the dispersal area on Front Street.

All streets affected by the parade will be cleaned before being re-opened to vehicular traffic.

Party on the Parkway / Wawa Welcome America July 4th Concert & Fireworks
All closures listed below are in effect from approximately 4:00 a.m. on July 4 to 5:00 a.m. on July 5 unless otherwise noted:

  • Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 18th Street to Eakins Oval (all lanes)
  • Eakins Oval (all lanes)
  • Kelly Drive between Eakins Oval and Fairmount Avenue (Kelly Drive inbound closed at Fountain Green Drive beginning at approximately 5:00 p.m.)
  • Rear of Art Museum – Anne d'Harnoncourt Drive (Media Entry at 25th Street and Kelly Drive)
  • 2000-2100 Winter Street
  • MLK Drive from Falls Bridge to Eakins Oval
  • Spring Garden Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and 31st Street
  • 23rd Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Eakins Oval

All closures listed below are in effect from approximately 4:00 a.m. on July 4 to 2:00 a.m. on July 5 unless otherwise noted:

  • 1900 Race Street
  • 1800-1900 Vine Street
  • I-676 Off-Ramp at 22nd Street
  • I-676 On-Ramp at 22nd Street
  • I-76 eastbound Off-Ramp at Spring Garden Street
  • Spring Garden Tunnel
  • Park Towne Place between 22nd Street and 24th Street
  • 22nd Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue (local access maintained for Park Towne residents via complex driveway on 22nd Street)
  • 21st Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
  • 20th Street between Arch Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
  • 19th Street between Callowhill Street and Cherry Street

The following roads will be closed on July 4 beginning at approximately 1:00 p.m. until approximately 1:00 p.m. on July 5:

  • All roads from Arch Street to Spring Garden Street, 18th Street to 22nd Street (local access maintained for residents)
  • All roads from Arch Street to Fairmount Avenue, 22nd Street to Corinthian Street (local access maintained for residents)
  • 16th and 17th Streets, between Arch Street and Spring Garden Street will be closed only if conditions warrant in the interest of public safety
  • 1600-1700 Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be closed only if conditions warrant in the interest of public safety

Due to public safety interests relating to the fireworks show, all roads listed below will be closed from 5:00 p.m. on July 4 to approximately 1:00 a.m. on July 5, unless noted otherwise:

  • Kelly Drive from Fairmount Avenue to Fountain Green Drive
  • Lemon Hill Drive
  • Sedgley Drive
  • Waterworks Drive
  • Poplar Drive

Roads will be reopened as event infrastructure is removed and sanitation operations conclude. Many roads listed above should be reopened to vehicular traffic prior to the times indicated.

TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC TRANSIT

Philadelphia's mass transit system, SEPTA, offers two subway lines, regional rail service to and from the surrounding suburbs, and bus service throughout the city.

Regional rail service, the Market Frankford Line, and the Broad Street Line will operate on a Sunday schedule with additional cars added to increase rider capacity at the break of the event. Check the SEPTA website for more details.

At approximately 4:15 p.m., SEPTA will stage buses for those leaving the Parkway at the following locations (to depart upon event conclusion):

  • 20th Street – West side of street facing south between Race and Cherry Streets
  •  21st Street – West side of street facing south between Winter and Race Streets

Additional SEPTA changes for July 4:

  • Extra trains will run on the Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines prior to the events to help get people to the Parkway.
  • Bus Detours: Due to road closures, buses that travel on or near the Parkway will be detoured starting at 5:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 4 through 1:00 a.m. on Friday, July 5. Routes detoured: 7, 9, 17, 21, 32, 33, 38, 42, 43, 44 and 48.
  • Regional Rail trains will be added to the service schedule or held later than regularly scheduled on most lines for customers leaving Center City Philadelphia after the fireworks and concert on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Ticket office hours will also be extended.

Check SEPTA's website, septa.org, for full details on transit options. For information on NJ Transit routes and schedules on July 4, visit njtransit.com.

SEPTA CCT
Due to the numerous road closures, SEPTA CCT will have two designated rendezvous points at 2299 Arch Street and 560 N. 20th Street.

From 7:00 p.m. on July 3 through 5:00 a.m. on July 5, these locations will be used to coordinate CCT pick-up and drop-off for neighborhoods impacted by the Parkway road closures.

ADA Pick-Up and Drop-Off
ADA vehicles are encouraged to pick-up/drop-off along Pennsylvania Avenue and Spring Garden Street. However, there is no parking available at these locations.

Philly PHLASH
The Philly PHLASH Downtown Bus Loop will operate a special holiday service on July 4. For updated holiday route detour and schedule information, visit ridephillyphlash.com.

Taxi & Rideshare
Designated rideshare and taxi drop-off points will be 2100-2200 Spring Garden Street and 1900-2000 Arch Street.

Parking Information
Paid parking lots and garages are conveniently located on or near the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Call individual facilities ahead for parking options, prices and availability, or visit the Philadelphia Parking Authority website for information on some of these parking facilities at philapark.org.  In the Historic District, there are many options including the AutoPark garage underneath the Independence Visitor Center at 5th and 6th Streets, between Market and Arch Streets.

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