The City of St. Joseph has issued its annual advisory on parking and traffic for the 3rd of July Fireworks, which bring thousands of people to the beach and bluff downtown. The message from Public Safety Chief Steve Neubecker: be patient!
This year’s City of St. Joseph July Fireworks will be held on Wednesday, July 3rd at 10:15 PM.
Fireworks are launched from the South Pier at dusk (10:15 PM). Portions of Silver Beach and Tiscornia Beach, as well as the North and South Piers, will be closed to provide the required safety zone.
Boaters: Please note that the Blossomland Bridge and Bicentennial Bridge will not be open for boats needing vertical clearance from 10 PM until after the postfireworks road traffic has cleared, around midnight.
Motorists: Please remember that there will be limited parking below the bluff and restricted parking in the downtown residential area. Temporary no parking signs will be posted in the affected residential areas to assist with the flow of traffic and pedestrian safety. Residential streets above the bluff, west and east of Main Street, will be posted no parking on the south and east sides. All alleys will be posted no parking.
All parking restrictions will be strictly enforced.
Following the fireworks, traffic north of the river will be detoured North on M-63 to Klock Road. When detoured on Klock Rd., please do not travel to Main St. in Benton Harbor back to Main St. downtown St. Joseph. The southbound traffic lanes on M-63 at Klock Rd. will be closed for a short period of time to allow traffic to clear in downtown St. Joseph. Motorists are asked to find an alternate route avoiding downtown St. Joseph due to the heavy traffic congestion following the fireworks.
Traffic south of the river will be directed onto Main St. from Port St., Ship St. and Broad St. Traffic from Silver Beach and Lions Park area using Park St. will be directed south on Lake Blvd. to Lakeshore Dr.
Motorists are asked to be patient and expect long delays.
