BOSTON (WHDH) - Road closures took effect throughout the day Thursday ahead of this year’s Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular.
Set to draw thousands of attendees, the event prompted road closures along part of Storrow Drive near the Charles River Esplanade beginning at 9 a.m.
Additional parts of Storrow Drive shut down at 3 p.m.
At 4 p.m., crews closed the Longfellow and Massachusetts Avenue bridges to traffic. On the Cambridge side of the Charles River, Memorial Drive also closed between the Boston University Bridge and the Longfellow Bridge.
State officials at a security briefing earlier this week promised a visible law enforcement presence to keep people safe at the Esplanade. Officials also urged people to use public transportation to get to and from celebrations, citing road closures and difficult driving conditions as festivities get underway.
As officials make their recommendations, all MBTA trains, buses, and ferries will be free from 9:30 p.m. to the end of service Thursday.
For those who still drive into the city, the Sumner Tunnel will begin a scheduled month-long shutdown at midnight, potentially compounding traffic issues after festivities end.
The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular will take place at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade.
The area opened to the public at 12 p.m. and musical performances will begin at 8 p.m.
The fireworks display will start at 10:30 p.m.
The Pops Fireworks Spectacular will be broadcast on 7NEWS. The show is produced by and also airing on Bloomberg TV and Bloomberg Radio. It is sponsored by Herb Chambers.
(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)