July 4th Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular Information: Road Closures; Parking Information; Accessibility; Prohibited Items & More

Listed below are the pedestrian, parking, and traffic restrictions that will be in place for 2022 Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular along with other helpful information for those planning on attending the event at the Esplanade this fourth of July. Impacts will primarily occur in Boston with Cambridge being directly affected on July 4 – particularly after 4 p.m. All roadways will remain closed (unless noted otherwise) until the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) can clean the roadways and remove event and production assets.

If you are planning on watching the fireworks from the Cambridge side of the Charles River, please note there will be no sound towers or food concessions this year.

ROAD CLOSURES

These closures will be updated as needed. Cambridge closures are highlighted.

Friday, July 1

Starting at 7am:

• NO parking on Mugar Way from Arlington Street to Charles Street until 6am on July 5. All vehicles remaining will be removed.

Saturday, July 2

Starting at 6pm:

• Right-hand travel lane on Storrow Drive westbound will be closed.

Sunday, July 3

Starting at 7am:

• Esplanade walkway adjacent to the Charles River closed to pedestrians and bicyclists from the area of Community Boat Club to the front of the Concession Stand. All pedestrians and bicyclists will be directed to the sidewalk adjacent to Storrow Drive until approximately 3pm.

Starting at 12pm:

• Right-hand travel lane on Storrow Drive westbound will be closed.
• Esplanade curbside reserved for permitted bus parking, from the Longfellow Bridge westbound to the Fielder Footbridge.
• Traffic will continue westbound on Storrow Drive.
• There will be no public parking along Storrow Drive for either the rehearsals or the concert.

Starting at 3pm

(Or a time to be determined by the Incident Commander)

• Storrow Drive will be closed to westbound traffic from the Charles Circle to the Bowker Overpass. All westbound traffic will be diverted to Charles Circle. Westbound traffic may re-enter Storrow Drive westbound by heading down Charles Street, to Beacon Street, to the westbound entrance at the Bowker Overpass.
• Mugar Way at Beacon Street closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. This will remain closed until the early morning hours of July 5. Pedestrians will be directed to Berkeley Street for entrance to the Esplanade.
• Berkeley Street at Beacon Street closed to vehicular traffic.
• Storrow Drive eastbound will be closed and detoured at the Bowker Overpass. It will remain closed until July 5.
• The exit to Arlington Street from the Storrow Tunnel (eastbound) will be closed until 6am July 5.

Monday, July 4

Starting at 9am:

• No parking on Memorial Drive (either side) from #450 Massachusetts Avenue to the Longfellow Bridge. All vehicles remaining after this time will be removed.
• No parking on Cambridge Parkway.
• Access to Storrow Drive westbound from Leverett Circle to Kenmore Square (Bowker Overpass) will be closed to traffic.
• The inbound bus lane on Charles River Dam Road will close from Museum Way to Leverett Circle.
• The Storrow Drive Exit Ramp in the Tip O’Neil Tunnel will be closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles.
• The Leverett Circle entrance to Storrow Drive westbound will be closed. Traffic will be allowed to travel on Msgr. O’Brien Highway to Cambridge and Martha Road to Boston.
• The following Storrow Drive on and off-ramp closures will remain in effect from July 3:
• Berkeley Street
• Charlesgate Area (heading eastbound)
• Bowker Overpass from Park Drive and the Fenway
• Charles Street Circle (heading westbound)
• No parking at Magazine Beach and Magazine Pool, Riverside Boat Club, and the MWRA pumping station (Cottage Farm). No boat launching in this area.
• Fanny Appleton pedestrian footbridge at Charles Circle going to the Esplanade is closed.
• Fiedler Footbridge from Beacon Street going to the Esplanade is closed.

Starting 3pm:

• No access to Storrow Drive westbound from the Kenmore Square (Bowker Overpass).
• No access to Storrow Drive westbound from the Beacon Street on-ramp under the Bowker Overpass.
• Storrow Drive eastbound will be detoured at University Avenue.

Starting at 4pm:

• Memorial Drive in both directions from Massachusetts Avenue to the Longfellow Bridge closed to vehicular traffic.
• Main Street, Cambridge from Third Street to the Longfellow Bridge closed to vehicular traffic.
• Ames Street from Main Street to Memorial Drive, Cambridge, closed to vehicular traffic.
• Wadsworth and Amherst Streets, Cambridge, closed to vehicular traffic.
• Land Boulevard from Binney Street to Longfellow Bridge closed to vehicular traffic.
• Hayward, Carlton, Charlotte’s Way, and Dock Streets in Cambridge closed to vehicular traffic.
• Access allowed to 1 Memorial Drive only with issued permit.
• Longfellow Bridge closed to vehicular traffic. Bikes and pedestrians will be allowed to cross the bridge.
• The Longfellow Bridge will be closed to bikes and pedestrian traffic from approximately 9pm until the end of the fireworks. No fireworks viewing from the Longfellow Bridge will be allowed.
• Massachusetts Avenue (Harvard) Bridge closed in both directions to vehicular traffic from Beacon Street in Boston to Vassar Street in Cambridge. Bikes and pedestrians will be allowed to cross the bridge.
• The Massachusetts Ave (Harvard) Bridge will be closed to bikes and pedestrian traffic from approximately 9pm until the end of the fireworks. No fireworks viewing from the Massachusetts Ave (Harvard) Bridge will be allowed.
• Memorial Drive from Massachusetts Avenue to the BU Bridge closed to vehicular traffic. Vehicular access will be allowed for patrons going to the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Hyatt patrons will be directed to the Vassar Street road closure.
• Vassar Street in Cambridge from Massachusetts Avenue to Memorial Drive closed to vehicular traffic. Access will be allowed for residents and Hyatt patrons.
• Cambridge Parkway closed to vehicular traffic (except: it will remain open to vehicles with handicapped placards/plates only). All vehicles must be removed from Cambridge Parkway by 1am on July 5.

Starting at 10:30pm:

• The Craigie Bridge by the Museum of Science will be down from approximately 10:30pm on July 4 until 1am on July 5to allow uninterrupted motor vehicle traffic.
• Smaller boats that can pass under the bridge while in the down position will be allowed to pass.

All closures are subject to change at the discretion of the Incident Commander.

Handicapped Parking - July 4:

• 12pm: Mass Eye & Ear LAZ Parking Lot opens for vehicles displaying handicapped placards/plates. HP placards/plates are needed for entry to the lot. (Entrance for LAZ parking lot is through Charles Circle.).
• The Mass Eye & Ear LAZ Parking Lot will close when the allotted parking area at the Mass Eye & Ear LAZ Parking Lot is filled, or at 6pm, whichever occurs first.
• Handicapped parking will also be accommodated on Cambridge Parkway.

Clean-Up:

• Clean-up begins 30 minutes after the fireworks display has concluded.
• All roadways will remain closed until clean-up and labor crews are safely removed.
• If practicable, there will be an attempt to open the roadways in the following order:
• Massachusetts Avenue Bridge
• Longfellow Bridge
• Memorial Drive
• Storrow Drive, Bowker Overpass, Charlesgate Area, Charles Circle

Interstate 93:

Viewing of fireworks display from I-93 is prohibited and dangerous. There will be troopers assigned (Troop H / H9, SP Tunnels) to this area to strictly enforce “no stopping.”

Getting to the Hatch Shell:

The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular is held at the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Hatch Memorial Shell on the Charles River Esplanade. Please visit them at mass.gov/dcr or on twitter @MassDCR.

Parking Information

It is recommended that interested participants take public transportation (MBTA) to the event. If you do bring a vehicle to the event, there are several public parking garages within walking distance to the Esplanade. The historic Motor Mart Garage (located at 201 Stuart Street) is an easy walk to the Esplanade and you’ll avoid traffic on Charles Street after the fireworks by parking there!

Accessible Parking

Parking for event-goers with disabilities is available at the Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary on July 4th. This lot can be accessed by entering Storrow Drive outbound from Leverett Circle and exiting at the Charles Circle off-ramp. The parking entrance is at the far left of the beginning of the ramp. A handicapped plate or placard is required to enter the lot. A shuttle, which is offered on July 4th only, will be provided from the designated parking location at the Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary. The shuttle will run from 3:00PM through 6:00PM, or until the area is full, and will return all event-goers to the lot at the end of the concert and fireworks. MBTA The Ride customers will have priority on the Shuttles; seating is limited.

By Foot

On July 4, the Esplanade can be accessed from Beacon Street via Berkeley, Clarendon, Dartmouth, and Fairfield Streets and Massachusetts Avenue.

ALLOWED ITEMS AT THE ESPLANADE

• Pop-up tents/canopies with no sides – maximum size 10’x10’.
• Blankets or tarps no bigger than 10’x 10’.
• Folding/beach chairs only.
• Coolers, which must be carried in by shoulder strap or single handle (no wheeled coolers).
• All personal items must be carried in clear bags only.
• After inspection, small clutch bags/purses may be taken into the venue with the clear bag.

PROHIBITED ITEMS AT THE ESPLANADE

• No coolers on wheels.
• No backpacks.
• No firearms, weapons, sharp objects, or fireworks.
• No glass containers.
• No cans.
• No pre-mixed beverages.
• All liquids will be carried in sealed clear plastic containers not to exceed 2 liters in size.
• No grilling, propane tanks, or open flames.
• No alcoholic beverages.
• No bicycles will be allowed through the checkpoints into the Oval or Island/Lagoon areas. Bicycles are allowed throughout the rest of the venue but must not be left unattended. Bicycles attached or locked to security fences, poles, or other structures may be subject to removal. (This measure is being enacted for public safety and crowd management in the event a speedy evacuation becomes necessary at the Esplanade.)

To find the most up-to-date information, please visit https://www.bso.org/boston-pops-fireworks-spectacular/know-before-you-go.