Road Closures, Traffic Map for Belmar St. Patrick's Day Parade
Ocean Avenue reopens, Main Street closes
As thousands flock to the watch and parade in the Belmar-Lake Como St. Patrick's Day Parade today, expect traffic delays and road closures throughout Sunday.
While the under-construction Ocean Avenue in Belmar has opened for the day, Main Street — the parade route — is closed. So is the road around Lake Como, Northern Boulevard, which serves as a staging area for bands, pipes and drums and other marchers.
Be sure to budget extra time trying to navigate the Belmar, Lake Como area on parade day.
Streetside parking is expected to be nearly impossible to find, and NJ Transit has added extra trains to accommodate demand along the rail line between Bay Head and Long Branch. For the full train schedule, click here.
Check out the live traffic map, where green areas aren't denoting Irish pride, but freely moving traffic. Amber is slowed traffic, while red areas have slowed to a crawl.
Tom Cular
8:27 am on Sunday, March 3, 2013
I never understood why Belmar conducts the St. Patrick's Day Parade so early. Can someone enlighten me ?
clamdigger
9:15 am on Sunday, March 3, 2013
probably the weather so they have the following weekend as a rain date.
Patty
11:57 am on Sunday, March 3, 2013
So that the paraders( bands,schools/people) can partake in the ny parade
Jerry Kennedy
7:39 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013
Glad to answer your question. There are 9-11 approx. St. Patrick Day parades in New Jersey. Every parade wants bagpipe bands but they are limited in number and if all the parades wee help on St. Patricks Day they might get one band each which wouldn't be much of a parade. The parades are held mostly on Sundays so which parade would a band choose to be in? By seperating the parades on various days the bands may march in several during the month of March. Since Belmar/Lake Como is the largest of the parades they are fortunate to have most of the major pipe bands play in their parade. This early parade also gives a needed boost to local businesses whose retail traffic falls off during the winter months. Glad to be of help Jerry Kennedy, retired Belmar/Lake Como parade announcer. .
Jerry Kennedy
7:43 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013
PS: Sorry for my typing errors and lousy spelling. End of second line should read "and if all the parades were held"
Catherine Galioto
8:18 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013
Thank you Jerry Kennedy!