PANAMA CITY — With fireworks shows and Fourth of July events throughout Bay County this holiday weekend, some areas are advising caution and patience during traffic congestion and closures.
Many of the firework displays will take place on the beaches of Panama City Beach, Mexico Beach and Grand Lagoon, with traffic congestion in those areas peaking before and after the festivities. However, in Panama City and Lynn Haven, officials were alerting the public of road closures and detours for Fourth of July festivities.
The Panama City Police Department announced road closures for the “Salute to Freedom” celebrations in downtown and on the Panama City Marina on Saturday.
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Parking on the Panama City Marina will be limited, and no vehicular traffic will be allowed there from 3 p.m. Friday till 4 a.m. Sunday, according to PCPD. The boat ramp on the marina will close at midnight Saturday and reopen about 10 p.m. that day.
Limited public parking will be allowed in the lot north of the Civic Center. Other street closures will be required leading up to the fireworks show Saturday night, and motorists should expect traffic delays after the event, PCPD reported.
Beach Drive from west of Harrison to the intersection with West Sixth Street and Beach Drive east of Harrison to Cherry Street will be closed to vehicular traffic at about 6 p.m. Saturday. The areas will reopen to vehicular traffic sometime after the fireworks.
Motorists in Panama City traveling east and west crossing Grace, Jenks and Harrison avenues should expect delays due to the heavy flow of traffic from those leaving the downtown area after the fireworks Saturday night.
Lynn Haven will host a “Patriotic & Proud” firework show at A.L. Kinsaul Park, 1160 W. Fifth St., but officials did not announce any road closures for the firework display. Detours will be along State 77 for the Fourth of July parades.
Southbound traffic on State 77 will come off the Bailey Bridge and be diverted onto East Third Street and travel to Illinois Avenue, and then head south to 14th Street and west back to State 77, and northbound will travel the same route in the reverse manner. Lighted message boards will be positioned to advise motorists of a detour and Lynn Haven police officers will be stationed along the detour route to assist.
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“There will be heavy pedestrian traffic around the activities at Sheffield Park but no other road closures,” said LHPD Maj. Matthew E. Riemer.
Holiday traffic: These streets will be affected by Fourth of July events:
- Back Beach Road (U.S. 98) and Front Beach Road in the area around Pier Park in Panama City Beach will experience high volumes of traffic all weekend, but especially before and after live events.
- Beach Drive from Cherry Street to West Sixth Street in downtown Panama City will close at about 6 p.m. Saturday.
- Motorists in Panama City traveling east and west crossing Grace, Jenks and Harrison avenues should expect delays Saturday night due to the heavy flow of traffic leaving the downtown area after the fireworks.
- Portions of State 77 in Lynn Haven will be detoured for parades and heavy pedestrian traffic is expected near Sheffield Park on Saturday.