City Prepares to Support Large Crowds Visiting Lake Merritt and Address Fire Safety over Fourth of July Weekend

July 1, 2022

Oakland, CA – With large crowds anticipated at Lake Merritt on July 3rd and 4th for the Fourth of July holiday weekend -- the City of Oakland will implement temporary safety measures where many gather to enjoy festivities. The locations will also include Grizzly Peak, where people gather for a great view of Bay Area fireworks on the Fourth of July.

At Lake Merritt on summer weekends and holidays, traffic and parking congestion along the narrow Lakeshore Avenue remains a safety priority. Unsafe conditions can result when cars are double- and triple-parked from MacArthur Boulevard to E. 18th Avenue, creating significant traffic jams and, of greatest concern, impeding access for emergency vehicles like fire trucks and ambulances. This is often the result of too many cars in too little space; the temporary street closures are established to help deliver any needed emergency services to people at or around the Lake as swiftly as possible.

Fourth of July Weekend:

July 3-4 Road Closures at Lake Merritt and Grizzly Peak

On Sunday, July 3, from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m., and Monday, July 4, from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., the following road restrictions will be in effect:

Lakeshore Avenue

• Closed between MacArthur Boulevard and East 18th Street.
• Lakeshore Ave. exit from 580 West will be closed. The Grand Ave. exit will remain open.
• No parking will be permitted.
• The following streets will be closed at Lakeshore Ave: Beacon St., Boden Way, Brooklyn Ave., Wayne Ave., and Hanover Ave.

El Embarcadero—Closed

Grand Avenue

• Closed between Macarthur Blvd. and Bellevue Ave. (east)
• No parking will be permitted.
• Bellevue Ave. and its cross streets will be closed at Perkins Avenue to non-residents. Bellevue will be open from Grand to Perkins to allow access to that parking and to Fairyland visitors. These closures and restrictions will improve traffic safety and allow for greater access for park visitors, bicyclists, and pedestrians around this narrow section of Lake Merritt. They will also allow for emergency vehicle access when needed.

Grizzly Peak: Road Closures in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone

The Oakland Fire and Police departments continue to work in partnership with neighboring jurisdictions on actions to mitigate fire risk in the Very High Fire Severity Zone and throughout the city during the Fourth of July holiday.

In response to significant regional concerns about fire safety and emergency vehicle access, Grizzly Peak Blvd. between Skyline Blvd. and Centennial Dr. will be closed to all thru automobile traffic along the following roads from 6 PM on July 3rd through 5 a.m. July 5th. Additionally, the following intersections will have electronic signage and personnel on hand to prevent thru traffic from entering:

• Grizzly Peak / Centennial Dr
• Grizzly Peak/ S Park Dr
• Grizzly Peak/ Lomas Cantada
• Grizzly Peak/ Claremont
• Grizzly Peak/ Skyline

The City of Oakland is coordinating with the City of Berkeley, East Bay Regional Parks, UC Berkeley, Moraga/Orinda Fire, Alameda County, Cal Fire, and Caltrans regarding the closure.

This corridor was closed over 4th of July for the last three years with great success. There were no confirmed fires, and significantly reduced crowds and illegal parking at the lookout points, thus allowing first responders to efficiently travel along the ridgeline to respond to 911 calls.

Also, the City of Berkeley will be closing Panoramic Drive On July 4th at Prospect St. to non-residents from 5pm to 11pm.

Full-size maps are available online at https://www.oaklandca.gov/news/2022/city-of-oakland-prepares-to-support-large-crowds-visiting-lake-merritt-for-juneteenth-fourth-of-july-weekends

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