Staff Report
OSWEGO, NY – The preparations for this year’s Harborfest celebration, which begins on July 24 and concludes on July 27, are well under way.
The Oswego City Police Department is anticipating that this year’s Harborfest will be more of a challenge for emergency services, residents and those attending these festivities, due to our Route 104 Bridge Project.
The Oswego City Police Department’s main objectives for Harborfest this year are to ensure the quickest possible response of our emergency service personnel and to ensure the best possible safety measures for the public during this event.
To assist in accomplishing these objectives, certain traffic changes, such as restricted parking on certain streets, and the closing of the Utica Street Bridge to vehicular traffic immediately following the Saturday night fireworks display, will be in effect.
The intent of the changes is to help facilitate improved response time for both fire and police vehicles.
The Utica Street Bridge will be closed on July 26 (night of fireworks) from about 9 p.m. to about midnight with access given only to emergency vehicles and pedestrian traffic.
This will assist in the safe travel of pedestrian traffic as well as enable a quicker response for emergency vehicles in crossing the Oswego River.
No other vehicular traffic will be allowed to cross the bridge, during this time period.
According to Police Chief Michael J. Dehm Jr., “As always, we are projecting an increase in both pedestrian and vehicular traffic during Harborfest and with the Route 104 Bridge Project, this will be more of a challenge. We are suggesting that citizens chose wisely where they wish to celebrate Harborfest and watch the fireworks. Please pass this information on to any of your friends and / or relatives who may be planning on visiting your residence or who may be coming to Oswego to enjoy the Harborfest Celebration during the above time periods.â€ÂÂ
A listing of the streets affected by the parking restrictions is as follows (some of which may already be in place):
WEST
West Second Street between West Cayuga Street and Lake Street (No Parking East side)
West Fifth Street between West Utica Street and Lake Street (No Parking East Side)
West Eighth Street between West Utica Street and West Cayuga Street (No Parking West Side)
West Eighth Street between West Cayuga Street and Lake Street (No Parking East Side)
Liberty Street between West Bridge Street and the North End (No Parking East Side)
West Cayuga Street between West First Street and West Third Street (No Parking South Side)
West Cayuga Street between West Third Street and West Bridge Street (No Parking North Side)
West Seneca Street between West First Street and West Bridge Street (No Parking South Side)
West Schuyler Street between West First Street and Liberty Street (No Parking North Side)
West Schuyler Street between Liberty Street and John Street (No Parking Either Side)
West Van Buren Street between West Second Street and Liberty Street (No Parking South Side)
EAST
East Schuyler Street between East Second Street and East Fourth Street (No Parking Either Side)
East Cayuga Street between East First Street and East Fourth Street (No Parking Either Side)
East Third Street between East Cayuga Street and East Bridge Street (No Parking West Side)
East Fourth Street between East Schuyler Street and East Seneca Street (No Parking West Side)
East Fourth Street between East Seneca Street and East Bridge Street (No Parking West Side)
“We have been working very closely with New York State Department of Transportation, The Oswego Fire Department, and Harborfest officials to make this year’s celebration a safe and enjoyable event for all. Although some of the changes may be a bit of an inconvenience for the short duration that they are in effect, I assure you that each change has been well thought out and is being made in the interest of public safety,†Dehm said.
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