President Barack Obama will make a campaign stop in downtown Charlottesville Wednesday afternoon.
The stage is coming together at the nTelos Wireless Pavilion for Wednesday's rally. Tuesday Secret Service agents were in the downtown area, and event crews have been putting up lights, scaffolding and getting all the sound equipment in place.
Kirby Hutto, the general manager of the nTelos Wireless Pavilion said, "There's so many moving parts. You've got the national press, you've got the Secret Service, you've got all the campaign requirements, and then you have working through all those logistics and making everything fit together is the big challenge."
The president is set to speak at about 3:30 in the afternoon. At noon, a portion of the area surrounding the pavilion will be completely shut down. Doors open at the pavilion at 1:00.
Road closures in the city of Charlottesville are near the pavilion. They include several blocks of Water Street, East Market Street and the entire span of the Belmont Bridge. (See below for details.)
Lt. Ronnie Roberts of the Charlottesville Police Department stated, "In the downtown area, you can already expect there's going to be a lot of road closures around the pavilion."
Around 2:30 in the afternoon, a 6 mile portion of Route 29 is expected to be closed while the president travels downtown. However, Albemarle County police say they are unable to give a specific route or time. (See below for details.)
Sgt. Darrell Byers of the Albemarle County Police Department said, "There will be no massive shutdown for that long of a time period. We're probably looking at an hour tops on either side of the travel."
The president will make his way back out of the area during rush hour traffic.
This is the third time the pavilion will host Barack Obama. He rallied at the space in 2008 as a candidate and then again in 2010 on behalf of former Congressman Tom Perriello.
Tickets for Wednesday's event are still available, and the campaign says they are not worried they will fill the pavilion.
City of Charlottesville
PRESS RELEASE
Please be advised of the following changes to parking, traffic and city office hours on Wednesday August 29th due to the presidential visit.
The City Hall Annex Building will close at 11:00 am. This closure will affect the following city offices:
- Parks and Recreation
- Social Services
- Voter Registrar
- Information Technology
City Hall will remain open; however access to the building will only be available via the Market Street entrance or the 6th Street entrance. The main entrance to the building located on the downtown mall and the 7th Street entrance will be closed all day.
The Key Recreation Center will be closed all day Wednesday.
The Downtown Transit Center and the Charlottesville/Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau Visitors Center will close at noon.
Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT) service will be detoured as follows:
- The downtown station (Transit Center) will close at noon and will reopen once the event is over and roads are open to traffic.
- All stops on Market Street between Ridge/McIntire and 9th Street NE will not be serviced beginning at noon.
- All stops on Water Street between Ridge/McIntire and 10th Street NE will not be serviced beginning at noon with the exception of the Omni Hotel stop on Water Street.
- Routes affected will be the FREE TROLLEY, 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
- Due to heavy traffic, delays are expected
Road Closures will begin at noon and are as follows:
- Water Street at 4th Street SE
- Water Street at 10th Street NE
- 9th Street SE at Graves Street
- 9th Street SE at Levy Street
- East Market Street at 9th Street NE
- The 700 Block of East Market Street at 7th Street NE
The Market Street and Water Street Parking Garages will operate as normal. Visitors are encouraged to park in the garages as street parking will be limited.
Albemarle County Police Department
PRESS RELEASE
The Albemarle County Police Department would like to alert the public of potential traffic delays regarding the scheduled visit of President Barack Obama on Wednesday, August 29th, 2012.
Due to the President's travel in the county, a number of roads will be closed. The public should expect significant road closures and delays from the early afternoon to early evening along the Seminole Trail corridor.
We are unable to give a specific route and/or time. Please be flexible and plan for delays.
Carter Johnson
Public Information Officer
