MTV Awards Will Bring ‘Blizzard’ Of Traffic To Newark: Officials

NEWARK, NJ — The MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center in Newark are going to be extraordinary… and so is the traffic, city officials say.

On Monday, Aug. 26, the iconic entertainment network will bring its annual VMA show to New Jersey for the first time in its history.

Bruce Gillmer, executive producer of the annual event, said the gala will pay homage to New Jersey's "incredible music heritage." He cited Garden State entertainers such as Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Queen Latifah, Bon Jovi, Whitney Houston, the Jonas Brothers, the Fugees and Halsey.

• See related article: MTV To Hold First Video Music Awards In New Jersey

This year’s event will include performances from acts such as Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendes and Lizzo. See the full list of performers/viewing information, and watch MTV’s promo video below.

While local officials are lauding the VMAs as a momentous occasion for the city, they’re also asking people to keep the potential traffic impacts in mind.

“We’d like the downtown businesses treat this like a major blizzard – except we know it’s coming a few days in advance,” Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said. “It would be a mistake to underestimate the impact the VMA Awards are going to have on the downtown and the main roads in and out of the city.”

Ambrose and Mayor Ras Baraka asked businesses in the downtown area to consider letting employees leave work early or work from home on Aug. 26.

For those either attending the event or coming to or going from the area, there will be a drop-off area for cabs and other hired vehicles on Green Street, next to City Hall.

The morning commute will be severely impacted by the closing of Mulberry Street from Lafayette Street to Market Street, the stretch of road that runs in front of the arena, officials said.

“That’s a main morning artery, especially for parking,” Ambrose said. “That closure will push more traffic onto Broad Street and McCarter Highway, so everyone should be aware the morning commute will tough.”

Later in the morning, the Mulberry closure will extend from Green Street to Raymond Boulevard and will remain closed at least until 2 a.m. Franklin Street will also be closed.

Market Street will be closed from Washington Street to McCarter Highway beginning at 10 a.m. Monday until at least 2 a.m. Tuesday, as will Edison Place between Broad Street and McCarter Highway, officials said.

In addition, there will be lane closures on the north bound side of Broad Street from 4 p.m. Monday until 2 a.m. Tuesday and the west bound lanes of Lafayette Street, heading into the downtown from McCarter Highway will be closed from 10 a.m. Monday until 2 a.m. Tuesday.

NJ Transit warned that riders may experience large crowds at New York Penn Station, Secaucus Junction and Newark Penn Station during the VMAs.

Ambrose said there will be “robust” law enforcement coverage across the city during the award ceremony. But there’s only so much Newark's police force can do to ease the pain, he pointed out.

“We will have many traffic control officers in place, but they can’t stop gridlock if employers and employees people don’t heed this advice and either take mass transit, stagger hours, or let people work from home,” Ambrose said.

Overall, there will be about 300 uniformed officers between the Newark Police and partner agencies in the event zone and surrounding areas, plus VMA event security. A "significant number" of plainclothes officers will be in the crowd and Newark SWAT teams and Emergency Services Units will positioned around the arena. A police helicopter will also be deployed, Ambrose said.

Ambrose said the VMA event is just another example of Newark being “a major league city.”

“We’ve had the Pope, the Dalia Lama and Mother Teresa,” Ambrose quipped. “I think we can handle Taylor Swift.”

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