Fourth of July traffic restrictions in Boston

July 3, 2008 12:08 PM Email| Comments (0)| Text size – +

By Globe Staff

Here is a list of road closures and other restrictions that are being put in place today and Friday for Boston's Fourth of July celebration:

TODAY

The Esplanade walkway adjacent to the Charles River from the Community Boating area to DCR’s Hatch Shell is closed until Saturday morning. The Esplanade sidewalk along Storrow Drive will remain open.

No parking is allowed on Mugar Way between Arlington Street and Charles Street.

The oval area in front of the Hatch Shell is closed to the public for a Boston Pops rehearsal.

Storrow Drive westbound from the Lee Pool to Berkeley Street, including the entrance from Charles Street Circle, is closed. Westbound traffic will be able to re-enter Storrow Drive at Berkeley Street.

The Arlington Street exit from the Storrow Tunnel is closed.

FRIDAY

The Cambridge-to-Boston side of the Longfellow Bridge will close to vehicle traffic at 10:30 a.m. The Boston-to-Cambridge side of the bridge will close to vehicle traffic at 4:30 p.m. Pedestrians can use the roadway to cross the bridge. The bridge will close to all vehicles and pedestrians at 6:30 p.m. It will reopen for pedestrians after the fireworks and for vehicles after cleanup.

Parking will not be allowed on Memorial Drive between Massachusetts Avenue and the Longfellow Bridge beginning at 12:01 a.m. Friday.

Storrow Drive between Leverett Circle and Kenmore Square will close at 7:30 a.m. Friday.

The Storrow Drive exit ramp in the Tip O’Neil Tunnel will close at 7:30 a.m. Friday.

The on-ramps to Storrow Drive from Berkeley Street, Charlesgate Area (eastbound), Bowker Overpass from Park Drive, and Charles Street Circle (westbound) will close at 7:30 a.m. Friday.

Parking and boat launching will not be allowed at Magazine Beach Area at 7:30 a.m. Friday.

Pedestrian footbridges to the Esplanade at Charles Street Circle and from Beacon Street to the Esplanade will close at 7:30 a.m. Friday.

Mugar Way at Beacon Street will close to pedestrian traffic at 7:30 a.m. Friday.

The far right lane on the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge, Boston-to-Cambridge side, will close at noon Friday.

Memorial Drive from Longfellow Bridge to Massachusetts Avenue will close at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

The Massachusetts Avenue Bridge from Beacon Street in Boston to Vassar Street in Cambridge will close at 6 p.m. Friday. Pedestrians will be allowed to cross.

The Craigie Draw Bridge (at Leverett Circle) will open for vehicular traffic 11 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Saturday. Small boats that can pass under the bridge will be allowed to pass.