TRAFFIC ADVISORY FOR ABINGDON KIWANIS CHRISTMAS PARADE

Abingdon Police Department 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TRAFFIC ADVISORY FOR ABINGDON KIWANIS CHRISTMAS PARADE

The Abingdon Kiwanis Christmas Parade is set for Saturday, December 1st. The parade begins at 6:00 p.m. however, street closures will occur earlier to allow the parade to line up. 

Be alert for pedestrians and prepare for detours, delays, and officers directing traffic.

If you are traveling through Abingdon, or plan to attend the parade, you are encouraged to leave at least an hour earlier than planned to insure that you reach your destination on time. Above all, be prepared to wait. Traffic will be heavy and there will be a large number of pedestrians in the downtown area. 

Officers deployed for this event have certain priorities; specifically pedestrian safety and traffic flow.  Please do not honk your horn or attempt to initiate conversation with officers directing traffic.  Traffic will be too heavy for officers to answer questions from each passing car, while avoiding traffic coming from the opposite direction.  Yelling obscenities at the officers as you pass or drive away also does little good. No matter how you feel about the officer not letting you go the direction you want, screaming profanities out your car window will only attract negative attention. If you feel the need to yell, just yell Merry Christmas.  Remember that the officers are in place for the safety of EVERYONE attending the parade, including themselves. 
The Code of Virginia addresses drivers who do not obey officers, ignore their signals, drive around barricades or use profanity in public:

§ 46.2-834. Signals by law-enforcement officers, crossing guards, and flaggers.
A. Law-enforcement officers may assume control of traffic at any intersection, regardless of whether such intersection is controlled by lights, controlled by other traffic control devices, or uncontrolled. Whenever any law-enforcement officer so assumes control of traffic, all drivers of vehicles shall obey his signals.
B. Law-enforcement officers and uniformed school crossing guards may assume control of traffic otherwise controlled by lights, and in such event, signals by such officers and uniformed crossing guards shall take precedence over such traffic control devices.

§ 46.2-852 Reckless driving; general rule.
Irrespective of the maximum speeds permitted by law, any person who drives a vehicle on any highway recklessly or at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person shall be guilty of reckless driving.

§ 18.2-388. Profane swearing and intoxication in public; penalty.
If any person profanely curses or swears or is intoxicated in public, whether such intoxication results from alcohol, narcotic drug or other intoxicant or drug of whatever nature, he shall be deemed guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.

Street closures will occur on the following schedule:

• East Main Street will be closed from Hutton Street to Court Street from 4:00 p.m., until the parade concludes.
o Motorist needing to access this area of East Main Street should use exit 17 from Interstate 81 to access East Main Street.
• East Main Street from Court Street to Cummings Street will be closed to traffic at 5:45 p.m. to clear the parade route.
o Motorist needing to access the Barter Theatre, Barter Stage 2 or the Martha Washington Inn before 5:45 p.m. should plan to arrive prior to that time.
• West Main Street from Cummings Street to Route 19 will be closed to eastbound traffic at 5:45 p.m.
• Westbound traffic from Court Street to Route 19 will be allowed to use West Main Street until the parade approaches.

Drive safely and have a great holiday experience in downtown Abingdon.

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