Road Closures, Increased Traffic Expected Ahead Of Philly Presidential Debate

PHILADELPHIA — Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will be in Philadelphia for their first debate together.

And with two of the nation's most important people heading to Philadelphia to duke it out on stage Tuesday comes road closures, parking restrictions, and more to ensure a safe event.

The debate will start at 9 p.m. on Tuesday at the National Constitution Center at Sixth and Arch Streets in Philadelphia.

Starting Saturday, residents may experience increases to traffic and temporary lane closures in the area near and around the National Constitution Center as event-related preparation work is scheduled to begin and last throughout the weekend.

Beginning early morning Tuesday, street closures will be in effect from Arch to Market Streets, between Fourth and Seventh Streets. Vehicular and pedestrian traffic will be allowed on Fourth and Market streets.

The Sixth Street exit of I-676 eastbound will also be closed starting Tuesday morning. I-676 westbound is expected to remain open, but may close if necessary.

No one will be permitted inside those secure closure points.

Arch and Race Streets will remain closed throughout the duration of the event. Closures will remain in effect until the event area is cleared, which is expected Wednesday.

Employees who work inside the secure zone should access their building through an entry point at Seventh and Arch streets.

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.

Additional temporary highway and street shutdowns and rolling road closures may be necessary on Tuesday due to public safety necessity and anticipated First Amendment demonstrations.

Drivers should expect residual delays on surrounding roadways.

Delays, detours, and changes to SEPTA transit schedules and stops will be published on the agency’s Alert & Advisory webpage and social media accounts.

The Philadelphia Police Department also 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. This allows for real-time decision-making and provides a common operating picture for departments and agencies involved in the response.

FAA regulations prohibit sUAS/drone usage above crowds. The locations and descriptions of any spotted drones and their operators should be reported to the nearest public safety official.

Road closures, reopening, and other information related to the debate will be published on the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management, City of Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Police Department’s social media pages.

Residents can also sign up for free ReadyPhiladelphia alerts by texting READYPHILA to 888-777.