Salem Halloween 2022: Drivers Beware As Witch City Streets Shut Down

SALEM, MA — Salem visitors and residents alike are being warned against attempting to drive through the heart of the Witch City this weekend with many roads closed for the final three days of the Halloween season.

Officials on Friday said those who drive through Salem as part of their regular commute "should not plan on doing so" from Saturday through Monday. As has been the case throughout the month, those planning to visit Halloween's unofficial hometown are being implored to take public transportation with any available parking expected to fill up early each morning.

Salem drew more than 500,000 visitors in the first half of the month — including more than 100,000 during the second Saturday of the month alone as all municipal parking spaces filled up by late morning.

The city said there were 185,300 visitors downtown this past weekend — 41,420 on Friday, 99,720 on Saturday and 44,340 on Sunday. Overall, attendance was up 9 percent over 2021 at an estimated 699,500 people through last weekend.

On Halloween night itself, the MBTA is looking to make it easier to get to downtown Salem without driving into city limits with discounted tickets.

The MBTA will extend its $10 weekend round trip offer to Monday on the Newburyport/Rockport line for Halloween. The MBTA is also offering a $5 round trip ticket for those who park in the Beverly parking garage and take the train one stop — about a five-minute trip — into Salem.

The commuter rail will also run seven additional routes inbound and outbound from Salem on Saturday and Sunday, while the Salem Ferry is bringing in bigger boats for the two days of trips.

Most downtown streets will close by 11 a.m. on Saturday and by 3 p.m. on Monday. Police will monitor congestion and close roads earlier, if necessary. Officials said traffic will be heaviest between 4 p.m. and midnight all three days.

Planned road closures include Essex Street from North Street to Union Street, Washington Street from New Derby Street to Bridge Street, Federal Street from Washington Street to North Street (and a small portion of Federal Street by the BRIX building), a portion of Church Street, a portion of Lynde Street, Washington Square North and West from Essex Street to Williams Street, a portion of Washington Square South, Hawthorne Boulevard, Derby Street from Lafayette Street to Congress Street, Route 1A, Charter Street, Central Street, Front Street, and Lafayette Street from New Derby Street to Front Street.

Bridge Street at Sgt. James Ayube Memorial Drive will also be closed to all traffic between the westerly overpass ramps and Sgt. James Ayube Memorial Drive from 9:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. for the closing fireworks to be held at 10:00 p.m. on Halloween night.

A map of weekend road and parking restrictions can be found here:

Those who do snag a spot in the MBTA commuter rail parking garage on Bridge Street are advised that the garage will be closed to all vehicles entering and exiting from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Halloween night.

The full commuter rail schedule for Saturday and Sunday can be found here.

Tow zones will be in place from 6 a.m. Saturday morning through midnight on Halloween.

These include Lafayette Street from Derby Street to Front Street, the public parking lot along Front Street, public parking at the Front Street/Central Street/Charter Street intersection, Essex Street from North Street to Union Street, Derby Street from Union Street to Lafayette Street, Hawthorne Boulevard, Front Street, Central Street, Church Street, Washington Street from New Derby to Bridge Street, Washington Square South and West and part of Washington Square North, Norman Street from Washington Street to Crombie Street, New Derby Street from Klopp Alley to Lafayette Street, Margin Street (open to taxi standing only) and Federal Street from St. Peter's Street to Washington Street.

Cars parked illegally will be ticketed ($75) and then towed at the owner's expense.

Salem residents who live downtown will be able to park in the YMCA/Sewall Street lot on Halloween. A driver's license and proof of downtown residency will be required to access this lot.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)