Traffic – Salem Main Streets

Come to Salem, But Don’t Drive

Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping No Responses »

Oct 132016

We mentioned this on our Facebook page, as probably other community organizations have commented in posts on their Facebook or Twitter accounts, but we think it really merits repeating: avoid driving to Salem this weekend.

We don’t have any hard statistics, just real time observations which lead us to believe that there are a lot more people checking out and enjoying all that Salem Ma has to offer this year. Parking is hard to find. Streets are getting backed up with traffic.

The idea is to spend a day in Salem Ma and have fun. We want that to be what you take away when you leave.

So, leave the car at home. Take the train. Or ride in on any number of MBTA buses that pass through the Witch City. Or travel aboard the Boston Harbor Cruise ferry. There is a lot going on. As a perfect example, here is an advisory from the Salem Police Department in reference to this weekend:

Saturday, October 15: Salem YMCA Witch City 5K road race starts at 9am at the Salem Willows. No road closures are planned, however anticipate traffic delays along the following roadways: Memorial Dr, Essex St, Rte 1A, Rte 114 including Hawthorne Blvd, Derby St, and Fort Ave, ending at Restaurant Row.
Sunday, October 16: Witch Ride Motorcycle Ride has been rescheduled for Sunday October 16. Rte 114 and Rte 1A will be impacted, but not closed to traffic, from Marblehead to New Derby St. Rte 1A, including Derby St, will be closed to traffic between Lafayette St and Congress St. Congress St will also be closed to traffic. Anticipate road closures and traffic delays from noon to 3pm. There will be a no parking tow zone on Derby St between Lafayette and Congress St from 11am to 3pm.
Saturday & Sunday, October 15 & 16: There will be no on-street parking on Essex St from Hawthorne Blvd to New Liberty St from 6am to 10pm. This section of Essex St will also be closed to through traffic from 9am to 10pm. Access to Museum Place garage will be via Brown St only.

Although every effort to keep roads open will be made, please be aware that any roads necessary to maintain public safety will be closed without notice. Officers will be posted in key intersections at peak times to assist with traffic when possible.

Many businesses and organizations in Salem go to great effort to provide entertaining & informative diversions for you, we just want to make sure you have an easy way to get to them all!

FYI: Rules/Advice for Arriving & Departing Halloween in Salem MA

History, Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping No Responses »

Oct 252015

Fun is the operative word for Halloween day and evening this coming Saturday in Salem MA. And to make it so for event sponsors, participants, observers, and folks who aren’t even taking part, the City of Salem has put some measures into place. These can be broken into things to do/not do when you get here and for when it is time to say good night.

For the full list of rules check out the Haunted Happenings website.

Getting here should be a calculated experience. There will be numerous road closures posted on various sites and twitter accounts. Check them out for the most up-to-date info as there will be road delays, detours, and blocked streets. We’ve been here/done that for enough years to know it to be a stone-cold fact. Definitely arrive before 8:30pm.

And don’t get stuck. For example if you do decide to arrive by car and look to park at the MBTA station, be advised that it will be closed from 8pm to 1am. Keep that in mind. You won’t be able to leave early.

Speaking of the MBTA, it would be an excellent alternate source of transportation as extra trains have been put on the schedule.

For if you do drive and you mistakenly or blatantly (the law does not differentiate) park in one of our many “Resident Parking” zones assigned to local residents, you will be fined and your vehicle quite possibly towed.

To make it a safe environment for all, obviously bring no weapons, real or artificial as they will be confiscated— same goes for alcohol.

When it is time to go— you will know as we put on a lively fireworks show beginning around 10:15pm and ending 10:30pm— we ask that you do go quietly into the night. There are many apartments and homes of residents on your paths exiting the city’s downtown district.

And if you had parked at the train station, (which we advised against earlier in this blog) you will not be able to get your vehicle out, as the garage will be closed from 8pm to 1am.

On the other hand, if you came by train, you have ample time to trek to the Salem Depot where the last train departs around 11pm.

Fun is the operative word for the big finale of Haunted Happenings 2015, but to make it so, everybody has to be on the same page. Be safe. Be considerate. Use common sense.

All Roads Lead To Salem…

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Oct 272013

But, depending on the time 0f day/night, they may not lead out.

The City of Salem has published Road Closures & No Parking Zones for Halloween. And as a courtesy to our followers who may be nearby or are still miles away but planning to be here on the big day/night we are reprinting the schedule from the city website. Please note that all closures are subject to change based on conditions, crowd size, and other public safety factors.

Streets closed to traffic at approximately 4 p.m.( no later than 5 p.m.), and until approximately 11:30 p.m.

This means not only can’t you drive through these streets but if you parked there, you can’t leave either.

1.      Washington St. from New Derby to Bridge St.
2.      Essex St. from Barton Square to Union St.
3.      Derby St. from Lafayette St. to Congress St.
4.      Brown St. at New Liberty St. Second backup closure at Howard St.
5.      Lafayette St. from Derby to Front St.
6.      Hawthorne Blvd. from Derby St. to Essex St.
7.      Washington Sq. West from Essex to Brown St. Washington Sq. South closed. Washington Sq. North closed from Brown to Winter St.
8.      Winter St. at Bridge St. closed to inbound traffic.
9.      Williams St. at Bridge St.
10.     Congress St. closed at South Harbor Garage. Vehicles will be detoured to Pickering Way out to Derby St. Derby St. inbound traffic detoured to Little Hawthorne Blvd., right on Essex St. (Traffic direction will be reversed on Little Hawthorne Blvd.)

Streets closed to traffic from 10 p.m. until 11:30 p.m.

1.      Bridge St. will be closed to traffic between the westerly ramps and the Bypass Road.
2.      Incoming Bridge St northbound traffic will be detoured up westerly ramps to North Street. Bypass Road inbound traffic from Beverly will be diverted back to Bridge Street and back to Beverly. Incoming southbound traffic from Bridge Street will be diverted to the Bypass Road and back to Beverly.
3.      Franklin Street may be closed to traffic if needed.

Other closures or openings could be decided as special circumstances arise.

No parking tow zones from 4 p.m. to midnight. These will be enforced.

1.      Lafayette St. both sides Front to Derby St.
2.      Public parking lot along Front St. Public parking spaces located on Central St. in front of old police station.
3.      Essex St. from Barton Sq. to Hawthorne Blvd.
4.      Derby St. both sides between Congress and Lafayette St.
5.      Hawthorne Blvd. both sides.
6.      Front St.
7.      Central St.
8.      Washington St. from New Derby to Bridge St. both sides.
9.      Washington Sq. North, South, and West both sides.
10.     Federal St. both sides from Washington to Superior Court.
11.     Norman St. from Washington to Crombie St.
12.     Franklin St. on the Furlong Park/North River side of the street.
13.     New Derby St. between Klop Alley and Lafayette St.

Visitors planning to come to Salem on October 31st are strongly encouraged to take the commuter rail or ride the Salem-to-Boston Ferry. For more information about traveling to Salem during Halloween visit the Haunted Happenings website and to be notified about road closures follow @GetThruOctober on Twitter or our own Twitter account @SalemMainStreets.

We will also have this information at our new Visitors’ Info Booth, which is at the corner of Washington and Essex Streets, across from the Bewitched Statue.