You’ll want to avoid driving in and around downtown Springfield today through Sunday if possible.
City of Springfield officials say the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival will result in traffic delays and road closures.
Barricades were expected to go up Friday afternoon at several downtown intersections. St. Louis Street between Jefferson and Kimbrough and Jefferson between Water and McDaniel are also closed.
According to the city, the Springfield Police Department will provide traffic direction and control for the staging of Friday’s parade route starting at Kansas Expressway and College Avenue at 4:30 p.m. Officers will then provide traffic direction and control along the route of the parade for the duration of the event.
The parade will travel east on College to Park Central Square at which point the two rows of cars will split and “zipper” around the square and re-join into two rows at Park Central East. The route will continue along Park Central East onto St. Louis, past Kimbrough and the grandstand to National Avenue. The parade will end at National and St. Louis with participants being directed in columns of two into the open southbound lanes onto National Avenue.
Friday, Aug. 12 closures
• St. Louis Street between Jefferson and Kimbrough avenues: Closing at 9 a.m. Friday, Aug. 12, reopening at 6 p.m., Sunday Aug. 14.
• Jefferson Avenue between Water and McDaniel streets: Closing at 9 a.m. Friday, Aug. 12, reopening at 6 p.m., Sunday Aug. 14.
• Park Central Square and “spokes”: Closing at 1:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 12, reopening at 6 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 14.
• St. Louis Street between Kimbrough Avenue and the Route 66 Springfield Visitors Center (CVB) crosswalk: Closing at 1:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 12, reopening following the conclusion of the Route 66 Festival Parade between 7:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
• College Street between Kansas Expressway and Campbell Avenue: Closing at 1:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 12, reopening following the conclusion of the Route 66 Festival Parade between 7:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
• College Street between Campbell and Grant avenues (Campbell will remain open): Closing at 3 p.m., Friday, Aug. 12, reopening at 6 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 14.
Saturday, Aug. 13 closures
• Jefferson Avenue between Water and McDaniel streets: reopening at 6 p.m, Sunday Aug. 14.
• Park Central Square: reopening at 6 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 14.
• St. Louis Street between Jefferson and Kimbrough avenues: reopening at 6 p.m., Sunday Aug. 14.
• College Street between Campbell and Grant avenues (Campbell will remain open): reopening at 6 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 14.
Sunday, Aug. 14 closures
• Jefferson Avenue between Water and McDaniel streets: reopening at 6 p.m., Sunday Aug. 14.
• Park Central Square: reopening at 6 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 14.
• St. Louis Street between Jefferson and Kimbrough avenues: reopening at 6 p.m., Sunday Aug. 14.
• College Street between Campbell and Grant avenues (Campbell will remain open): reopening at 6 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 14.The Springfield Police Department is helping direct traffic and helping with traffic control for the festival parade, which is scheduled to begin at 6:30 tonight.
