With large crowds anticipated at several locations for the upcoming 4th of July holiday, the City of Oakland will implement temporary safety measures where many gather to enjoy festivities, including at Grizzly Peak, where people gather for a great view of Bay Area fireworks on the Fourth of July.
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 5 a.m. July 4th through 5 a.m. July 5th. Additionally, the following intersections will have electronic signage and/or 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 four years with great success. There have been no confirmed fires, and the closures have 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.
Lake Merritt Access
At Lake Merritt on summer weekends and holidays, traffic and parking congestion along the narrow Lakeshore Avenue remains a safety priority. Unsafe conditions can include 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.
In past years the City has closed down streets in the Lake Merritt area to facilitate large crowds. This year the City is not planning to close any major streets -- instead, metered parking will remain available and enforced around the lake as normal on both Saturday and Sunday. On Tuesday, July 4th, the City will suspend metered parking for the holiday citywide but continue to manage all other parking regulations to help ensure safe access, unobstructed bike lanes and crosswalks and unimpeded emergency vehicle response.
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