Heavy Traffic, Intersection Closures Expected For President Trump's Visit To Baltimore

With congressional Republicans coming to town and President Donald Trump set to address them in Harbor East, the Baltimore City Department of Transportation is advising drivers to avoid downtown Thursday afternoon.

Transportation officials advise downtown drivers to expect heavy traffic from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Drivers should avoid downtown south of Baltimore Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and N. Central Avenue. Some intersections may be temporarily closed. Those who work downtown are encouraged to leave work before 4 p.m. if possible.

TRAFFIC CONDITIONS

Commuters and fans headed to Thursday night's Orioles game are also asked to use alternate modes of transportation, including Light Rail, local buses, Metro Subway and the Charm City Circulator.

The President will speak tonight at 7 o’clock at the #Baltimore Waterfront Hotel @wbalradio pic.twitter.com/EBmoXUHFSA — Phil Yacuboski (@WBALPhil) September 12, 2019

Transportation enforcement officers will be in place to help direct traffic.

THE PRESIDENT'S COMING TO BMORE! This means heavy traffic is expected downtown this afternoon. Between 4-8:30 p.m., you're asked to AVOID the area south of Baltimore St between MLK Jr Blvd & N Central Ave. Leave work BEFORE 4 if you can @wbaltv11 #wbaltv11 pic.twitter.com/PFQ0j88hhQ — Lacee Griffith (@LaceeGriffith) September 12, 2019

"We're working with all of the respective agencies to make sure we have operational readiness to provide safety for our leader and for the people of Baltimore at the same time," Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said.

Police Col. Richard Worley said the department is working with local, state and federal partners.

Trump's visit to Baltimore will come weeks after he slammed the city in an attack on Rep. Elijah Cummings, whose district includes West Baltimore. Cummings is the chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which has issued a number of subpoenas of Trump's family, businesses and top officials. The president's tweets, prompted by a Fox News segment, came several days after Cummings took acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan to task for conditions at the southern border.

"We're a welcoming city and he's welcome to be here," Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young said Wednesday.

However, a number of protesters are expected to turn out for Trump's visit.

"We're pretty good at handling protests over the last five years, so I think we'll do a pretty good job with it," Worley said.