With the sold-out Newport Jazz Festival getting underway Friday at Fort Adams State Park, Newport Police are urging drivers to plan ahead for significant traffic congestion throughout the weekend.
The festival runs Friday, July 31 through Sunday, August 1. Heavy traffic on Harrison Avenue and the roads surrounding Fort Adams is expected beginning at 8 a.m. each day as vehicles enter the fort. Newport Police officers will be on hand to assist with safety and traffic flow.
Vehicles typically begin exiting Fort Adams around 7:30 p.m. Drivers should expect congestion on Harrison Avenue, Ruggles Avenue, Bellevue Avenue, Narragansett Avenue, Coggeshall Avenue, Annandale Road, and Memorial Boulevard, as well as in the downtown area. Traffic will be dispersed on Memorial Boulevard. Downtown businesses and restaurants will remain open and accessible throughout the weekend.
As was the case during last week’s Newport Folk Festival, biking to the festival is a popular alternative — Bike Newport manages bicycle routing and free parking for the event. More information is available at bikenewportri.org/bike-to-the-festivals. Note that the temporary two-way bike lane on Harrison Avenue that was in place for Folk Fest will not be available this weekend.
