BOSTON (WHDH) – Road closures were already taking effect in Boston Thursday morning ahead of this year’s Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular.
Set to draw thousands of attendees, the event prompted road closures along part of Storrow Drive near the Charles River Esplanade as of around 9 a.m.
Additional parts of Storrow Drive will shut down at 3 p.m.
At 4 p.m., crews will close the Longfellow and Massachusetts Avenue bridges to traffic. On the Cambridge side of the Charles River, Memorial Drive will also be closed between the Boston University Bridge and the Longfellow Bridge.
State officials at a security briefing earlier this week promised a visible law enforcement presence to keep people safe at the Esplanade. Officials also urged people to use public transportation to get to and from celebrations, citing road closures and difficult driving conditions as festivities get underway.
As officials make their recommendations, all MBTA trains, buses, and ferries will be free from 9:30 p.m. to the end of service.
For those who do drive into the city, the Sumner Tunnel will begin a scheduled month-long shutdown at midnight, potentially compounding traffic issues.
The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular will take place at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade.
The area will open to the public at 12 p.m. and the musical performances will begin at 8 p.m.
The fireworks display will start at 10:30 p.m.
The Pops Fireworks Spectacular will be broadcast on 7NEWS. The show is produced by and also airing on Bloomberg TV and Bloomberg Radio. It is sponsored by Herb Chambers.
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