April 6, 2015

Take These Parking Restrictions Into Account To Maximize Your Opening Day

Fans of the Cincinnati Reds have been planning for Opening Day since last October. But even the most die-hard baseball fans should take notice of several parking and travel restrictions in Downtown to make sure they don't strike out on one of the biggest days in the Queen City.

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The 139th annual Opening Day for the Reds is Monday, April 6. They'll take on the Pittsburgh Pirates at 4:10 p.m. at Great American Ball Park in Downtown Cincinnati. Gates open at 2:10 p.m.

But the day will get started much earlier than that. The events kick off at 11 a.m. with the Reds Community Fund Charity Block Party on Joe Nuxhall and Freedom ways.

At noon, fans will line city streets for the 96th annual Findlay Market Opening Day Parade. Relief pitchers Norm Charlton, Rob Dibble and Randy Myers – better known to baseball fans as The Nasty Boys from the Reds' 1990 championship team – will serve as honorary grand marshals. Current Reds players will also make appearances.

In order to accommodate the staging area of the parade, the following streets in the Findlay Market area closed at 8 a.m. Monday:

            Race Street – closed between Liberty Street and McMicken Street

            Elm Street - closed between Liberty Street and McMicken Street

            Findlay Street - closed between Central Parkway and Vine Street

            Elder Street - closed between Central Parkway and Vine Street

            Green Street - closed between Vine Street and Logan Street

            Henry Street - closed between Race Street and Dunlap Street

            Dunlap Street - closed between Findlay Street and McMicken Street

            Logan Street - closed between Liberty Street and Findlay Street

Beginning at 11:15 a.m. the following parade route and cross streets will close in advance of the parade:

Parade Route: The parade will begin at the intersection of Race and Liberty streets and travel west on Liberty to Elm Street. From there the parade will turn south on Elm Street to Central Parkway before continuing east on Central Parkway to Race Street. Next, they'll travel south on Race Street to Fifth Street, then travel east on Fifth Street to the demarcation area at Sentinel Street.

In order to accommodate that winding parade route, the following streets have closed.

          Liberty Street- closed between Vine Street and Central Parkway

          Elm Street- closed between Liberty Street and Court Street

          Central Parkway- closed between Vine Street and Plum Street

          Race Street - closed between Twelfth Street and Fourth Street

          Fifth Street - closed between Elm Street and Sentinel Street

Cross Streets (close at 11:15 a.m.): 

           Fifteenth Street - closed between Republic Street and Central Parkway

           Fourteenth Street - closed between Central Parkway and Race Street

           Twelfth Street - closed between Race Street and Central Parkway

           Court Street – closed between Elm Street and Vine Street

           Ninth Street – closed between Elm Street and Vine Street

           Eighth Street – closed between Elm Street and Vine Street

           Seventh Street – closed between Elm Street and Vine Street

           Sixth Street - closed between Elm Street and Vine Street

           Vine Street – closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street

           Walnut Street – closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street

           Main Street - closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street

           Sycamore Street - closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street

            Broadway Street - closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street

Access to downtown hotels within the parade route closures will be maintained. For additional information motorists should seek the assistance of a Cincinnati Police Officer around the closure area. 

All parking within the closed areas will be restricted.  Motorists are reminded to pay attention to any special parking restrictions and remove their vehicles to avoid being towed.

Metro will maintain service, but may alter downtown stops due to the parade.  Motorists are urged to use alternate routes around the downtown area due to the congestion caused by the parade and heavier than normal traffic attending the Opening Day baseball game.

Streets will remain closed until it is determined safe to open, after the parade has passed.