Road Closures for Obama Visit Cause Major Traffic Delays

Pretty much every road near the Art Museum is jammed. Thanks, Obama!

https://twitter.com/WazeTrafficPhi/status/775677531160776705

President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art today is already causing major traffic snarls.

Road closures in place for the president’s visit as well as a multi-vehicle crash on I-76 East near Fairmount Park earlier this morning have led to significant delays on almost every road surrounding the Art Museum area.

Road closures that went in place as early as 6 a.m. this morning include:

  • The entire area surrounding Eakins Oval and all roadways leading to the Oval are closed. Traffic is being detoured away from the area.
  • Kelly Drive is detoured inbound at Fairmount Avenue.
  • Martin Luther King Drive and Spring Garden traffic are both being detoured onto I-676.

Drivers are encouraged to use I-76, Ridge Avenue or Broad Street to enter Center City. Traffic is currently at a crawl along Fairmount Avenue.

Obama will campaign for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at 1:45 p.m. today, and gates will open at 11:15 a.m. Some commuters aren’t giving him the warmest welcome.

Follow @ClaireSasko on Twitter.