SALEM, MASS. (WHDH) - Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll announced Wednesday that the city plans to reduce MBTA commuter rail service, enforce a number of new parking restrictions, and close businesses early in an effort to keep Halloween revelers away from the haunted hotspot amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“Ordinarily, there is no better place to celebrate Halloween than Salem. Our first priority from the outset of this pandemic has been keeping residents, employees, and visitors healthy and safe,” Driscoll said. “To help ensure we can meet that goal, we are taking action to limit the number of people who will be in Salem on Halloween and the day prior.”
Visitors who are planning to come to Salem in the coming weekends should postpone their visit, in part, because trains outbound from Boston will not stop at Salem station on Oct. 23 and Oct. 30 between 7 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. or Oct. 24, Oct. 25, and Oct. 31 between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m.
All city parking garages and lots will also close to entering traffic at 2 p.m. on Oct. 23 and at 12 p.m. on Oct. 24, Oct. 25, Oct. 30, Oct. 31, and Nov. 1. Salem residents with reserved parking spaces or who live downtown and any downtown business employee with proof of employment may enter and park in the garages at any time.
The MBTA garage will have restricted access for local parking and all privately operated parking lots have been ordered to close as well.
Illegally parked vehicles in residential parking areas will be ticketed and towed.
All downtown businesses have been asked to utilize reservations and to close or limit activity by 8 p.m. on Oct. 23 and Oct. 24 to help mitigate crowds. The city has also ordered mandatory 8 p.m. closures of all downtown businesses on Oct. 30 and Oct. 31.
“I really feel like the fun police here, right? It’s the cats-are-biting-the-dogs sorts of scenarios. We are normally imploring people to take the trains and working with the MBTA to get more trains here. We are normally working to accommodate parking, make sure people know where to park, and how to park,” Driscoll said. “So the activities we’re taking really telling folks, ‘this isn’t the year to come, put it off until another time period and certainly do not come without a plan at all,’ is unprecedented for us and I think it speaks to the times when.”
The Salem Police Department plans to implement a traffic control plan in approximately 15 locations throughout the city to assist non-residents in exiting the area.
Fines for noise violations, resident parking violations, and public intoxication will be tripled through the end of October.
All haunted happening events have already been canceled and all venues are working with limited occupancy.
A summary of the closures in the coming weeks is as follows:
Date | City and Private Parking Garage and Lot Closures | MBTA Garage Access Restricted | No Trains from Boston Will Stop in Salem | Business Modifications/Restrictions |
Friday, October 23rd | 2:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. | Between 7:00 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. | Businesses urged to use reservations; close or curtail activities by 8:00 p.m. No lines or waiting permitted in public way after 8:00 p.m. |
Saturday, October 24th | 12:00 noon | 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m. | Between 11:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. | Businesses urged to use reservations; close or curtail activities by 8:00 p.m. No lines or waiting permitted in public way after 8:00 p.m. |
Sunday, October 25th | 12:00 noon | 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m. | Between 11:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. | No early closures. |
Friday, October 30th | 12:00 noon | 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 pm. | Between 7:00 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. | Businesses urged to use reservations. Mandatory downtown business closure by 8:00 p.m. No lines or waiting permitted in public way after 8:00 p.m. |
Saturday, October 31st | 12:00 noon | 12:00 noon to 11:00 p.m. | Between 11:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. | Businesses urged to use reservations. Mandatory downtown business closure by 8:00 p.m. No lines or waiting permitted in public way after 8:00 p.m. |
Sunday, November 1st | 12:00 noon | 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m. | Between 11:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. | No early closures. |
Driscoll urged visitors who plan to make the trek into Salem to simply wander around to stay away until next year.
“If you have not secured lodging or booked tickets in advance for your stay, you may want to consider saving your visit until 2021, when we hope to be recovered from this pandemic,” Driscoll explained.
Anyone who does come to Salem is required to abide by the mandatory mask requirement while downtown, as well as within stores, attractions, and while moving around within restaurants.
The Salem Board of Health has also issued a local travel reporting requirement for visitors traveling from out of state. Anyone staying overnight at a hotel, inn or short-term rental must complete a form that documents their activity in the city.
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