Detroit City Wire

CITY OF DETROIT PROVIDES INFORMATION ON CLOSURES, PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION FOR JUNE 27 FORD FIREWORKS 

Viewing Areas, Closed Parks and Curfew Information Also Announced 

Hundreds of thousands of spectators will line the shores of the Detroit River to enjoy the Ford Fireworks June 27.  To make it an enjoyable experience, the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan will enforce access restrictions to Hart Plaza and Belle Isle.  In addition, a number of riverside parks will be closed June 27.

VIEWING AREAS 

These locations will be CLOSED: 

• Spirit Plaza, Woodward at Jefferson  
• RiverWalk in its entirety  
• A.B Ford Park, 100 Lenox 
• Mariner Park, 14700 Riverside Blvd. 
• Lakewood East, 14578 Riverfront Blvd. 
• Erma Henderson Park, 8800 E. Jefferson Ave. 
• Owens Park, 8430 E. Jefferson Ave. 
• Stockton Park, 9250 Dwight  
• Maheras-Gentry Park, 12550 Avondale  
• Mt. Elliott Park, 110 Mt. Elliott  
• Riverside Park 

The following locations have been identified as the best viewing sites: 

• Hart Plaza 
• Belle Isle (viewing from the MacArthur Bridge will not be permitted) 

Hart Plaza

The Plaza is open to the general public, but pedestrian set-ups and/or gatherings will not be permitted before 2 p.m. on June 27. 

Hart Plaza will be open until capacity is reached. No re-admittance into Hart Plaza. Those entering Hart Plaza will be subject to security screening. Coolers and backpacks also will be searched. 

• No tents, alcohol, drones, pets, or contraband (weapons, knives, etc.) will be allowed. 
• Flames or fires are prohibited, and cooking is prohibited. 
• Fireworks are not allowed.  
• Reserving an area in excess of the number of people currently in the group is prohibited. 

Belle Isle 

Belle Isle will be closed on Monday, June 27 until 2 p.m. At that time, the island will open to vehicular traffic. The Island will open at 5 a.m. to pedestrians and bicyclists. 

Motorists will need the Recreation Passport to enter the island. The passport, which is only needed for vehicles, may be purchased at the entrance for $12. The passport is $9 for out-of-state and international visitors for the day. Once island capacity is reached, no additional vehicles will be admitted to the park.  

Belle Isle Park officials issued these reminders: 

• Alcohol consumption is prohibited on the island. 
• No tents and canopies allowed. 
• RV parking will be on the paddock area near the Casino. 
• Consumer fireworks are prohibited on the island. 

MUNICIPAL PARKING

The Municipal Parking Department also will not enforce parking meters after 5 p.m. on June 27. However, motorists are advised to observe parking restrictions. Parking violators will be ticketed, and in some instances, vehicles may be towed. Motorists will be ticketed for:

• Improper parking (vehicles within 20 feet from crosswalk; within 15 feet from an intersection; within 30 feet of a stop sign or traffic control device; and within 15 feet of a fire hydrant)
• Parking in front of fire hydrants and bus stops or blocking driveways and alleys.
• Parking in designated zones, such as handicap zones (without proper credentials), fire lanes, no parking zones or no standing zones

Parking Facilities

MPD will offer parking at these City-owned garages.

Ford Underground Garage              6 a.m. - 1 a.m.                       $10
30 E. Jefferson                                                                                  

Eastern Market Garage                   6 a.m. - Midnight                    $10
2727 Riopelle Street

Fireworks viewing from any parking facility and tailgating are prohibited. For more information, call (313) 221-2500 or go online to detroitmi.gov/parking.

TOWING

Vehicles will be towed to one of two locations: 

• 10750 Grand River (near Oakman Blvd.) for vehicles towed west of Chrysler Freeway (I-75)
• 9425 Grinnell (near City Airport) for vehicles towed east of Chrysler Freeway (I-75)

Vehicle tow lots will operate until 1 a.m. The fee for towing is $215.  

STREET AND FREEWAY CLOSURES                                                                

The following traffic changes will go into effect at approximately 6 p.m. on June 27:

• No northbound or southbound traffic will be allowed on Woodward Avenue beginning at Park and Witherell. Motorists may cross Woodward at John R/Clifford, Grand River, and State/Gratiot.
• All streets south of Fort and west of Woodward will be closed.
• All streets south of Congress and east of Woodward will be closed.
• Beginning at 6 p.m., freeways will begin to close. **

** The Detroit Police Department reserves the right to request closure of the freeways and surfaces streets earlier or later, depending on the volume of vehicle traffic.

CURFEW ENFORCEMENT

The City will enforce a curfew for minors, ages 17 and under, that will be in effect from 8 p.m. on June 27 until 6 a.m. on June 28 for the area bounded by the Detroit River, Third Street, Lodge Freeway, Fisher Freeway, the extension of Fisher Freeway east to Gratiot Avenue, Gratiot Avenue, Vernor Highway, Chene Street, Atwater Street and Chene Park.

Minors are welcome to view the fireworks from any approved public area. However, for their safety, minors must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or other responsible adult (age 21 or over) if they choose to view from within the curfew boundaries. Minors will be allowed to travel to and from work, school, church or organized activities.

Minors in violation of the curfew will be taken to the Butzel Family Center, 7737 Kercheval. Minors will be held there until picked up by a parent or guardian. The parent or guardian also may receive a parental responsibility violation ticket.

LOST CHILDREN

Parents can find lost children in these locations:

• Huntington Place (formerly TCF Center/Cobo Center), off Atwater Dr. in the atrium
• Detroit Police Department 3rd Precinct – 2875 W. Grand Blvd. (313) 596-5300
• Detroit Police Department 4th Precinct – 4700 W. Fort Street (313) 596-5400
• Butzel Family Center, 7737 Kercheval, 628-2100

DETROIT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

For bus riders, the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) issued these reminders:

On June 27 from 6 - 11 p.m., the following eastside routes will end at the Bricktown People Mover Station on Beaubien between Congress and Lafayette. The affected routes are Van Dyke/Lafayette (#5), Gratiot (#6), Jefferson (#9), Russell (#40), Chene (#52), and Cadillac/Harper (#67).

Bus passengers may take the People Mover at the Bricktown Station to get to the Rosa Parks Transit Center exiting at the Michigan and Cass People Mover Station.   Passengers at the Rosa Parks Transit Center traveling east should board the People Mover at the Michigan/Cass Station and exit at the Bricktown Station to board eastbound coaches staged on Beaubien near the station.

Woodward (#4) will lay over at the Rosa Parks Transit Center. All other downtown routes will start and end at Rosa Parks Transit Center. Additional service leaving downtown will be provided after the fireworks on an as-needed basis.

DDOT will have additional Conant (#12) coaches leaving Belle Isle every 15 minutes from 10:30 - 11:30 p.m.  Passengers may board at regular locations and on Casino Way at The Strand and Inselruhe at the White House.  

For more information regarding DDOT service, call (313) 933-1300.

DETROIT PEOPLE MOVER

The Detroit People Mover (DPM) will operate from 7 a.m. – 11 p.m.  People Mover service is free, with stops at the following stations only: Michigan, Huntington Place (until 2 p.m. on June 27), West Riverfront, Financial District, Millender Center (until 2 p.m. on June 27), Bricktown, Greektown, Broadway and Grand Circus Park. DPM trains will bypass Huntington Place (formerly Cobo) and Millender Center stations after 2 p.m.

Financial District Station, located on Larned between Griswold and Shelby streets, is the closest DPM station within walking distance of Hart Plaza.

For more information, go online to www.thepeoplemover.com or call (313) 224-2160.

Original source can be found here.