Motorists in downtown Springfield should expect road closures and traffic delays all weekend in downtown Springfield due to the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival, starting Friday morning and lasting until Sunday evening.
Below is a comprehensive list of the closures. Barricades will be in place at several downtown intersections by Friday afternoon, with the exception of St. Louis Street between Jefferson and Kimbrough avenues and Jefferson Avenue between Water and McDaniel streets, which will be closed at 9 a.m. Friday to allow for vendor setup.
The Springfield Police Department will provide traffic direction and control for the staging of Friday’s parade route starting at 4:30 p.m. at Kansas Expressway and College Street. Officers will then provide traffic direction and control along the route of the parade for the duration of the event. Public Works staff will assist the SPD with traffic control by staffing and/or monitoring the barricades.
The parade will travel east on College Street to Park Central Square at which point the two rows of cars will split and “zipper” around the square and rejoin into two rows at Park Central East. The route will continue along Park Central East onto St. Louis Street, past Kimbrough Avenue and the grandstand to National Avenue. The parade will terminate at National Avenue and St. Louis Street 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 crosswalk: Closing at 1:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 12, reopening following the conclusion of the Route 66 Festival Parade between 7:15 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 and 7:30 p.m.
- College Street between Campbell and Grant avenues (Campbell Avenue 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.