Here Are the Roads That Will Be Closed On Thanksgiving

SEPTA will have a modified schedule as well.

 Photo by M. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia

Photo by M. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia

As Thanksgiving nears (along with all the uncomfortable conversations you’ll likely endure at the dining table), here are upcoming road closures and changes to public transportation in Philly this weekend.

On Thanksgiving day, SEPTA buses and trolleys, both the Market-Frankford and the Broad Street subway lines, Regional Rail lines and the Norristown High Speed Lines will run on a Sunday schedule.

Philly’s 97th Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday will cause street closures as well as bus detours, per 6ABC.

The parade will begin at 8:30 a.m. on 20th Street and JFK Boulevard, head east on JFK Boulevard, then north on 16th Street and onto the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, continuing to Eakins Oval in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Here are the best spots to watch, via Visit Philadelphia.

Street closures are already underway. From 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. today, Eakins Oval between Kelly Drive and MLK Drive will be closed for street rehearsals. All of Eakins Oval will close for street rehearsals at 6:30 p.m.

  • At 7 p.m., the inbound lanes of JFK Boulevard from 20th Street to the Schuylkill Avenue will close until the parade ends. At 9 p.m., outbound lanes along the same route will close.
  • The following closures will be in place on Thanksgiving day:
  • At 2 a.m., 20th Street will close between JFK Boulevard and Market Street.
  • At 5 a.m., 20th Street will close between Arch Street and Cherry Street.
  • At 6 a.m., 20th Street will close from Market Street to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
  • At 8 a.m., the entire parade route will be closed. Roads will open shortly after the conclusion of the parade.

While the parade is set up — starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday and lasting until 3 a.m. Thursday — bus routes 31, 33, 38, 44, 62, 124 and 125 will be detoured.

From 3 a.m. Thursday until around 2 p.m. Thursday, routes 2, 7, 17, 27, 31, 32, 33, 38, 43, 44, 48, 124 and 125 will be detoured for the parade. SEPTA has more information regarding detoured routes on its website.

Metered parking is free on Thursday, but keep an eye out for parking restrictions along the parade route.

On Saturday, the Philly Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration will cause road closures near City Hall. Between 1 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., 15th Street between JFK Boulevard and Market Street will close. Market Street will be reduced to two lanes.

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