St. Joseph's July 3 fireworks display will cause traffic restrictions

SAINT JOSEPH, Mich. -- The City of St. Jospeh will hold its annual fireworks display over Lake Michigan on July 3, and authorities are reminding visitors that sections of road, as well as the North and South Piers will be closed to provide a required safety zone.

The show blasts off around 10:15 p.m. on Wednesday from the South Pier.

"Portions of Silver Beach and Tiscornia Beach, as well as the North and South Piers, will be closed to provide the required safety zone," city officials said. "Boaters: Please note that the Blossomland Bridge and Bicentennial Bridge will not be open for boats needing vertical clearance from 10 p.m. until after the post-fireworks road traffic has cleared, around midnight."

Motorists should remember that there will be limited parking below the bluff and restricted parking in the downtown residential area. There will be temporary no parking signs 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," city officials said. "All alleys will be posted no parking. All parking restrictions will be strictly enforced."

After the fireworks show is over traffic north of the river will be detoured North on M-63 to Klock Road.

"When detoured on Klock Road, please do not travel to Main Street in Benton Harbor back to Main Street downtown St. Joseph," said city officials. "The southbound traffic lanes on M-63 at Klock Road will be closed for a short period of time to allow traffic to clear in downtown St. Joseph."

Authorities are asking drivers 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 Street from Port, Ship, and Broad Streets," authorities said. "Traffic from Silver Beach and Lions Park area using Park Street will be directed south on Lake Boulevard to Lakeshore Drive."

Drivers should expect long delays.