Phased Road Closures and Parking Restrictions Announced for Artscape 2023

By BJLife Newsroom
Posted on 09/18/23

Artscape will be held Friday, September 22^nd through Sunday, September 24^th.  Traffic modifications for the event begin as early as Monday, September 18^th.  Mt. Royal Avenue and intersecting corridors will be CLOSED TO TRAFFIC during the event with additional parking restrictions in effect. 

BALTIMORE, MD (September 15, 2023) - The Baltimore City Department of Transportation would like to advise motorists of the road closures and parking restrictions that will be in effect for Artscape 2023 which will take place from Friday, September 22^nd through Sunday, September 24, 2023.  In addition to Artscape, there will be other nearby events happening concurrently, including events at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, the Lyric Baltimore, and the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA).  Visitors attending these events are encouraged to take advantage of public transportation options including bus & rail transit, e-scooters and e-bikes. 

In preparation for Artscape, roadway closures and operational changes will be implemented in phases beginning on Monday, September 18^th at 12:00 a.m.  Once the road closures are implemented, motorists will be rerouted to alternate routes as directed by the Baltimore City Police (BPD), Transportation Enforcement Officers (TEOs), signs and electronic message boards.  Motorists should adhere to their directions  for everyone’s safety.  Residents and visitors are encouraged to plan ahead for these events by using alternate routes and allowing additional travel time leading up to and during these events. 

Motorists are also urged to pay close attention to posted parking restrictions throughout the duration of the event, as parking restrictions will be implemented.  The majority of parking restrictions start at 12:00 a.m. on Monday morning, September 18^th, and vehicles parked in violation will be ticketed and relocated.  Motorists with questions concerning the location of their vehicles should call 311. 

After the event ends, road closures will remain in place through Monday, September 25^th.  Roads will be reopened as soon as possible after all event-related materials and equipment are safely out of the streets.

In preparation for Artscape and other nearby events, the following road and lane closures will be implemented:

Lane closures from Monday, September 18th at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, September 25^th at 11:59 p.m.:

• Preston Street westbound right lane closure between Maryland Avenue and Cathedral Street
• Preston Street westbound left curb lane closure between Cathedral Street and Howard Street
• Dolphin Street eastbound left lane closure between Bolton Street and Howard Street

Road closure from Monday, September 18th at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, September 25^th at 11:59 p.m.:

• Park Avenue between Howard Street and Cathedral Street  

Road closures from Tuesday, September 19th at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, September 25th at 11:59 p.m.:

• Mt. Royal Avenue between St. Paul Street and McMechen Street (NOTE: All intersections along this section of Mt. Royal Avenue will be closed.  No vehicular traffic will be able to access or cross Mt. Royal Avenue. McMechen Street and St. Paul Street will remain open to traffic.)
• Charles Street between Preston Street and Mt. Royal Avenue
• Dolphin Street between Mt. Royal Avenue and Howard Street (open for local traffic only and closed completely on Thursday, September 21^st at 10:00 a.m.)
• I-83 Southbound Exit 4 to Mt. Royal Avenue West (Note: Exit 4 to St. Paul Street South to remain open.)

Road closures from Wednesday, September 20th at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, September 25th at 11:59 p.m.:

• Charles Street between Mt. Royal Avenue and North Avenue (North Avenue remains open)
• Charles Street between North Avenue and 21^st Street (North Avenue remains open)
• 20^th Street between Maryland Avenue and St. Paul Street
• Trenton Street between St. Paul Street and Maryland Avenue
• Lafayette Avenue between St. Paul Street and Maryland Avenue
• Falls Road / E. Coast Greenway between St. Paul Street and Maryland Avenue

Lane closure from Thursday, September 21st at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, September 25th at 11:59 p.m.:

• Cathedral Street southbound right curb lane closure between Preston Street and Biddle Street / Park Avenue

Road closure from Thursday, September 21st at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, September 25th at 11:59 p.m.:

• Cathedral Street between Preston Street and Mt. Royal Avenue (event staff access only)

Major roadway directional change from Thursday, September 21st at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, September 25th at 11:59 p.m.:

• Maryland Avenue between North Avenue and Oliver Street will be ONE-WAY FOR NORTHBOUND TRAVEL ONLY.  This roadway, which normally carries southbound traffic will be converted to northbound only and all northbound traffic will be directed to turn right onto North Avenue.

In addition to the road closures, the following parking restrictions will be implemented for the event:

Parking restrictions from 12:00 a.m. Monday (morning), September 18, 2023 to 11:59 p.m. Monday, September 25, 2023.:

• Mt. Royal Avenue (south side) – St. Paul Street to McMechen Street
• Park Avenue (both sides) – Howard Street to Cathedral Street
• Preston Street (north side) – Maryland Avenue to Cathedral Street
• Dolphin Street (south side) – Bolton Street to Howard Street
• Charles Street (both sides) – Preston Street to Mt. Royal Avenue

Parking restrictions from 12:00 a.m. Tuesday (morning), September 19, 2023 to 11:59 p.m. Monday, September 25, 2023.:

• Mt. Royal Avenue (north side) – St. Paul Street to McMechen Street
• Charles Street (both sides) – Mt. Royal Avenue to North Avenue
• Maryland Avenue (both sides) – Mt. Royal Avenue to North Avenue

Parking restrictions from 12:00 a.m. Wednesday (morning), September 20, 2023 to 11:59 p.m. Monday, September 25, 2023.:

• Charles Street (both sides) – Mt. Royal Avenue to North Avenue
• Charles Street (both sides) – North Avenue to 21^st Street
• 20th Street (both sides) – St. Paul Street to Maryland Avenue
• Trenton Street (both sides) – St. Paul Street to Maryland Avenue
• Lafayette Avenue (both sides) – St. Paul Street to Maryland Avenue
• Falls Road / E. Coast Greenway (both sides) – St. Paul Street to Maryland Avenue

Parking restrictions from 12:00 a.m. Thursday (morning), September 21, 2023 to 11:59 p.m. Monday, September 25, 2023.:

• Maryland Avenue (both sides) – Mt. Royal Avenue to North Avenue
• Dolphin Street (west side) – Mt. Royal Avenue to Howard Street
• Cathedral Street (west side) – Preston Street to Park Avenue / Biddle Street
• Cathedral Street (east side) – Chase Street to Park Avenue / Biddle Street
• North Avenue (north side) – Charles Street to Howard Street

Special Traffic Pattern along Maryland Avenue for Sunday morning church services:  On Sunday, September 24th from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., Maryland Avenue will be converted to a two-way traffic pattern from Preston Street to Mt. Royal Avenue for morning church services.  Congregation members trying to access the church should follow St. Paul Street to Preston Street, then turn right going the opposite way onto Maryland Avenue to the parking lot.

Charm City Circulator Service:  Charm City Circulator (CCC) patrons should be aware that CCC bus operations along the Purple Route will be modified starting next week in preparation for Artscape.  On Tuesday, September 19, 2023, the following route modifications will be in effect through Monday, September 25, 2023 (with normal operations resuming on Tuesday, September 26^th):

• The CCC’s Purple Route will be detoured.  The detour will begin on northbound Charles Street and will turn right/eastbound on Biddle Street, turn left/ northbound on Calvert Street, turn left/westbound on 21^st Street, and turn right/northbound on Charles Street.
• Stop closures during this time include #310 Penn Station (northbound) and #311 North Avenue (northbound).

Patrons riding the CCC may experience delays and longer than normal wait times.  Additional information can be found on the CCC website.

Additional information about the 2023 Artscape event can be found at https://www.artscape.org/.