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It could be the best of times ... or the worst of times.
Everyone is expecting bigger than normal crowds for the Fourth of July since the Lake Union fireworks will be the only game in town. The police are planning more personnel and resources in Eastlake. Wallingford seems to be preparing for a siege.
Lay in your supplies and hang on tight!
Here's a recap with links to some of our previous posts as well as those from other Seattle media:
- No parking signs have gone up in the neighborhood. The restriction begins at 11 a.m. Saturday morning. Check the map at right or our previous post for details.
- The show begins about 10 p.m. and usually lasts a half hour.
- The main question for a lot of folks: When should my guests get here? Seattle Police Officer Mark Wong told a meeting sponsored by the Eastlake Community Council on June 8: "I'd get down here before 6-7 p.m." After that, restrictions on access to the area west of Eastlake will make it difficult for visitors to drive in and park.
More traffic and access info (and what's open and what other media are saying) after the break.
- The area west of Eastlake Ave. E. (the greyish box in our map) will have limited access before the fireworks show. Between 6 and 7, police will begin to staff barricades (orange circles on the map) and won't let people drive in unless they have a place to park. Your visitors won't need invitations, but they will need to know where they're going and that there is a parking place for them. Otherwise, no entry.
- The I-5 exit at Roanoke, the entrance at Boylston and the ramps at Mercer will be closed by the State Patrol about 9:30 p.m. and will reopen as soon after the show as possible.
- The Lakeview Overpass will be closed to all vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians starting about 9 p.m. on the Fourth.
- Download our map (click on it) to see where you can drive and park, both before the show and after.
- What Eastlake businesses are open on the Fourth? Quite a few, everything from flowers to coffee, beer and food. Check our list.
- SPD will have more officers on duty this year (70; last year it was 63), including eight on bicycle patrol.
- Officer Wong says if you see someone parking in front of a fire hydrant or blocking a driveway, call the police early ("The sooner before the 4th of July evening gets under way, the better," he writes in an e-mail) and they'll take care of it. Don't call the East Precinct. Instead, call SPD's main call center: 206-625-5011.
- Fireworks are illegal inside the city limits, but people have them anyway. "We don't typically respond to reports of fireworks," Lt. Nollette told the June 8 community meeting, "because we just don't have the bodies." But, if people are shooting off fireworks in ways that might cause a fire, she added, you should call 9-1-1.
A few of our posts about the Fourth of July:
Reports from other media:
The Eastlake Block Party: I'm hearing rumors of a mechanical bull, a Slip n' Slide and Tako Truk doing the cooking. I'll be there!
Whew! What did we miss? Add your info, questions or concerns in the comments.
Eastlake Ave. will be in the neighborhood on the Fourth reporting on how things are going (and enjoying the fireworks as well). Send us your info!
