The City of Philadelphia is gearing up to host the Presidential Debate Tuesday, September 10th, 2024 at the National Constitution Center. Ahead of Tuesday’s debate, city officials have released a list of road closures, parking restrictions, and safety precautions.
The event will air at 9 p.m. ET for 90 minutes from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
Vice President Harris will face off against former President Donald Trump
Road Closures & Parking Restrictions
Beginning early morning Tuesday September 10, street closures will be in effect. The following roads will be closed ahead of Tuesday’s Presidential Debate:
- Arch to Market Streets, between 4th and 7th Streets will be closed however, vehicular and pedestrian traffic will be allowed on 4th Street and Market Street.
- Arch and Race Streets will remain closed throughout the duration of the event.
- The 6th Street exit of I-676 eastbound will also be closed beginning Tuesday morning.
- I-676 westbound is expected to remain open but may close if necessary.
- Access to eastbound lanes for the Ben Franklin Bridge from I-676 into New Jersey is slated to close after rush hour Tuesday for the debate.
- Westbound lanes of the Ben Franklin Bridge into Philadelphia will remain open at this time.
- Temporary highway and street shutdowns and rolling road closures may be necessary on Tuesday due to public safety necessity and anticipated First Amendment demonstrations.
Additionally, no one will be permitted inside those secure closure points.
Employees who work inside the secure zone should access their building through a business entry point at 7th and Arch Streets.
Important to note, expect residual delays on surrounding roadways.
Lastly, closures will remain in effect until the event area is cleared which is expected Wednesday.
Public Transit Detours
Delays, detours, and changes to SEPTA mass transit schedules and stops will be published on the agency’s Alert & Advisory webpage. Please continue to check regularly for the most up-to-date information surrounding public transpiration delays and detours.
Public safety reminders for the Presidential Debate
The location of the presidential debate was announced in early August. Since then, city officials and departments have been working tirelessly to ensure public safety. Specifically, Philadelphia Police and the Office of Emergency Management began focused meetings with many of those same departments. The purpose of the meetings was to thoroughly understand the impact of the debate on the city.
The following adjustments have been put in place:
- PPD has made adjustments to ensure that a significant number of resources will be deployed in the area to manage traffic and crowd control while maintaining order.
- Additionally, similar adjustments have been made to ensure that there will be adequate staffing throughout the city, allowing the department to continue providing quality police services to all Philadelphia residents.
- The City’s Emergency Operations Center will be activated Tuesday to bring agencies together during the response.
- FAA regulations prohibits UAS/drone usage above crowds. If someone sees a drone, please report the location and description of the operator to the nearest public safety official.