Road closures for Wawa Welcome America July 4th concert, celebrations

The party on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway is bring thousands of fans to see Demi Lovato and Ludacris perform and fireworks light up the sky over Philadelphia.

But, a party that big requires plenty of prep and that means road closures.

"We get started about a week out getting ready for the Party of the Parkway and the concert and fireworks," Wawa Welcome America CEO Michael DelBene said. "It takes a village, there's a lot of folks that come together."

Starting July 1 and lasting into July 5, some roads will be closed so that the main event of the Wawa Welcome America Festival can be set up. On July 4th, roads will also be closed in Old City for free Independence Day events.

Here's your guide to the road restrictions as well as public transit for July 4th in Philly. (These closures were released from the City of Philadelphia)

Saturday, July 1, 2023

In preparation for the July 4th Concert & Fireworks, the following road closure will be in effect beginning 4 a.m. on Saturday, July 1 until approximately 10 p.m. on Wednesday, July 5:

• Ben Franklin Parkway inner lanes from 20th Street to Eakins Oval

Monday, July 3, 2023

In preparation for the Celebration of Freedom Ceremony, the following road closure will be in effect:

• 6th Street between Chestnut Street and Walnut Street from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Tuesday, July 4, 2023

Celebration of Freedom road closures:

• 6th Street between Chestnut Street and Walnut Street from 8 a.m. to noon
• 6th Street between Chestnut Street and Walnut Street from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Salute to America Independence Day Parade

The following streets will be closed for the formation area of the parade:

• 2nd Street between Arch Street and Chestnut Street from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Chestnut/Market Street Viaduct between Chestnut and Front Streets to 2nd and Market Streets from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Market Street between 3rd Street to Front Street from 6 a.m.to 1 p.m.
• Front Street between Dock Street to Market Street from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Chestnut Street between 2nd Street and Front Street from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The following streets will be closed from 10:30 a.m. until conclusion of parade:

• 3rd Street between Arch Street and Chestnut Street
• 4th Street between Arch Street and Chestnut Street
• 5th Street between Arch Street and Chestnut Street
• 6th Street between Arch Street and Chestnut Street
• 7th Street between Arch Street and Chestnut Street
• 8th Street between Arch Street and Chestnut Street
• 9th Street between Arch Street and Chestnut Street
• 10th Street between Arch Street and Chestnut Street
• 11th Street between Arch Street and Chestnut Street
• 12th Street between Arch Street and Chestnut Street
• JFK Blvd. between Market Street and 15th Street
• N. Broad Street between JFK Blvd. and Vine Street
• S. Penn Square from S. Broad Street to E. Market Street
• E. Market from Front Street to City Hall
• 12th Street between Vine Street and Market Street
• 13th Street between Vine Street and Market Street
• Arch Street between 12th Street and Broad Street

July Fourth Concert & Fireworks

Parkway closures could go into effect earlier based on crowd size, the City said.

All closures listed below are in effect from approximately 5 a.m. on Tuesday, July 4 to 2 a.m. on Wednesday, July 5 unless otherwise noted:

• 1900 Race Street
• 1800-1900 Vine Street
• I-676 Off-Ramp at 22nd Street
• I-676 On-Ramp at 22nd Street
• I-76 eastbound Off-Ramp at Spring Garden Street
• Spring Garden Tunnel
• Park Towne Place between 22nd Street and 24th Street
• 20th Street between Arch Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
• 19th Street between Callowhill Street and Cherry Street

All closures listed below are in effect from approximately 5 a.m. on Tuesday, July 4 to 4 a.m. on Wednesday, July 5 unless otherwise noted:

• Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 18th Street to Eakins Oval (all lanes)
• Eakins Oval (all lanes)
• Kelly Drive between Eakins Oval and Fairmount Avenue (Kelly Drive inbound closed at Fountain Green Drive beginning at approximately 5:00 p.m.)
• Rear of Art Museum – Anne d’Harnoncourt Drive
• 2000-2100 Winter Street
• MLK Drive from Falls Bridge to Eakins Oval
• Spring Garden Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and 31st Street
• 23rd Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Eakins Oval

All closures listed below are in effect from approximately 5 a.m. on Tuesday, July 4 to 8 a.m. on Wednesday, July 5 unless otherwise noted:

• 22nd Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
• 21st Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue

The following roads will be closed on Tuesday, July 4 beginning at approximately 1 p.m. until approximately 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 5:

• All roads from Arch Street to Spring Garden Street, 18th Street to 22nd Street (local access maintained for residents)
• All roads from Arch Street to Fairmount Avenue, 22nd Street to Corinthian Street (local access maintained for residents)
• 16th and 17th Streets, between Arch Street and Spring Garden Street will be closed only if conditions warrant in the interest of public safety
• 1600-1700 Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be closed only if conditions warrant in the interest of public safety

Due to public safety interests relating to the fireworks show, all roads listed below will be closed from 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4 to approximately 1 a.m. on Wednesday, July 5, unless noted otherwise:

• Kelly Drive from Fairmount Avenue to Fountain Green Drive
• Lemon Hill Drive
• Sedgley Drive
• Waterworks Drive
• Poplar Drive

SEPTA changes for July 4th

SEPTA will run all of its buses, trolleys and subway lines on a Sunday schedule on July 4, 2023. The transit agency will also offer special late-night Regional Rail service following the fireworks.

SEPTA has laid out its full July 4th schedule on its website. Here's what they say about the plan:

Regional Rail

"Select Regional Rail trains will be added to the service schedule or held later than regularly
scheduled for customers leaving Center City Philadelphia after the fireworks. Late-night service
will operate on select Airport; Chestnut Hill East; Lansdale/Doylestown; Fox Chase;
Paoli/Thorndale; Manayunk/Norristown; Media/Elwyn; Trenton; Warminster; West Trenton; and
Wilmington/Newark Line trains."

Buses

"On July 4 the City of Philadelphia will be closing the Ben Franklin Parkway at 8 p.m. for the
fireworks event. The following bus routes that operate between 16th and 23rd Streets and from
Arch to Spring Garden Streets will begin detouring at 2 p.m. on July 4 until 5 p.m. on July 5: 5, 7,
17, 21, 32, 33, 38, 42, 43, 48, 49. Routes 38 and 43 will begin detouring at 6 a.m. on July 4 due
to fireworks set-up behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Suburban route buses will operate
on a Sunday schedule."

Trolleys

"Trolley Lines will operate on a Sunday schedule with added late-night service."

Philly PHLASH changes

The Philly PHLASH® Downtown Loop must detour its shuttles on Monday, July 3, and Tuesday, July 4.

On Monday, July 3,  PHLASH shuttles operating after 5  p.m. will not have access to stop 15 located at the Liberty Bell Center (6th and Market Streets) or stop 16 at the Museum of the American Revolution (3rd and Chestnut Streets).

To accommodate guests riding to that area, a drop-off will occur on Market Street near 6th Street.

On Tuesday, July 4, multiple stops will be affected.  PHLASH will offer free rides for all guests.

Delays expected:

• No access to stops: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 16. Attractions at corresponding stops are still open; contact attraction directly for hours.
• Stop 3 moved to 6th and Arch Streets
• Stop 4 moved to 11th and Arch Streets
• Stop 15 moved to 6th and Arch Streets

Additionally, on July 4, there will be no Penn Museum shuttle.

For more information, check the PHLASH detour route map during the holiday weekend.