Armed Forces Day Parade to cause traffic changes May 1st

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The 77th Annual Armed Forces Day Parade will take place Friday, May 1st, and begin on Market Street at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr Blvd at 10:30 a.m., traveling northbound toward Aquarium Way.

The parade may be viewed from any public sidewalk within this corridor. The estimated length of the parade is 30 minutes.

To clear the roadway for the parade and provide time for security inspections, Market Street will be closed between W 12th Street and Frazier Ave at 9 a.m.

The full closure of Market Street will also limit all eastbound and westbound traffic at the following intersections for an estimated 2.5 hours (9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.):

·       11th Street

·       10th Street

·       Martin Luther King Jr Blvd*

·       8th Street

·       7th Street

·       6th Street

·       5th Street

·       4th Street*

·       3rd Street (between Broad and Market already closed due to construction)

·       Aquarium Way

·       E 1st Street

Broad Street between W 3rd Street and Aquarium Way will also close for the duration of the parade to allow for dispersing of parade participants.

*4th Street and MLK Boulevard east and westbound will remain open across Market Street until the parade begins at 10:30 AM. Only emergency vehicles will be allowed across Market at those locations once the parade begins.

All traffic west of Market Street needing to travel eastbound will detour via Broad Street / HWY 27 to W 12th Street.

All traffic east of Market Street needing to travel westbound will detour via Cherry Street, E 8th Street (to travel briefly EB), and Lindsay Street.

Riverfront Parkway or Main Street are highly recommended as an alternative route to travel east or west of Market Street during the closure.