Baltimore City Announces Road Closures for Feb. 16 Black History Month Parade

The Baltimore City Department of Transportation implemented temporary street closures and enforced parking restrictions Monday for the city’s second annual Black History Month Parade, which began at 12:00 p.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Eutaw Street. Parade participants marched south on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, turned west onto Baltimore Street, and the event disbanded between Fremont Avenue and Poppleton Street.

City announcements and local outlets listed multiple parking-restricted segments in effect that morning and afternoon. Baltimore Fishbowl reports parking restrictions were in force from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on several downtown corridors, including North Eutaw Street from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Dolphin Street; Madison Avenue from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to West Preston Street; West Preston Street from Madison Avenue to North Eutaw Street; West Baltimore Street from North Fremont Avenue to North Poppleton Street; and North Fremont Avenue from West Baltimore Street to West Fayette Street. Parking on both sides of Pennsylvania Avenue from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to West Preston Street carried a separate 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. restriction. Baltimore Fishbowl warned: "Vehicles violating these parking restrictions will be ticketed and towed."

Transit operators rerouted service and posted rider advisories for downtown stops. The Charm City Circulator operated regular service hours but detoured along its Orange Route from 10:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m.; FOX45 reported that "Officials recommend that patrons check the Pasio Go! app for the most up-to-date detour information and other service alerts for the Charm City Circulator." UMBC Transit posted a February 13 advisory stating, "Downtown Route: No Service at Stop # 6, 7 & 8." The university listed the affected stops as Stop 6 - Baltimore St. & MLK Jr. Blvd.; Stop 7 - S. Poppleton St. & Hollins St.; and Stop 8 - Pratt St. & MLK Blvd., and directed riders to alternate stops including Stop 9 - Pratt St. & Greene St. (UMB), Stop 10 - Pratt St. & Howard St. at the Baltimore Convention Center, and Stop 11 - Pratt St. & Light St. at the Inner Harbor.

Coverage of the closures varied across outlets. NationalToday noted a broader window, reporting closures "from as early as 7:00 a.m. until as late as 5:00 p.m." while FOX45, WMAR and Baltimore Fishbowl supplied the 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. window for many parking restrictions and the 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. window for Pennsylvania Avenue and circulator detours. WBFF and WMAR attributed the temporary closures to Baltimore City Department of Transportation and published the parade route as starting at MLK Jr. Boulevard and Eutaw Street and ending on Baltimore Street between Fremont Avenue and Poppleton Street.

Officials and outlets also advised attendees to plan travel accordingly. FOX45 relayed: "Attendees of the parade are encouraged to arrive early and use public parking facilities in the surrounding areas." City riders and drivers who used the affected corridors Monday were advised to expect detours, altered transit stops, and towing enforcement in the listed segments.