TRAFFIC & PARKING INSTRUCTIONS

Directions. Out-of-town participants who need detailed information on the best road routes into Philadelphia can find them at this link http://www.hosr.org/traveldrx.html. For general orientation to the regatta area, refer to our location maps (at left). Although the maps indicate the road traffic pattern for regatta days only, they are also a useful visual reference for those arriving earlier.

Bringing in boats. If you are bringing in boats prior to race days, whether by car, van or trailer, you must access Kelly Drive from the north, i.e. by City Avenue (Exit 340A from the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76)) and head southbound on Kelly Drive. Note that Kelly Drive will remain open to all traffic in both directions on Friday, so please use appropriate caution at all times. Only bring your boats to Boathouse Row if you have a prior arrangement with one of the clubs. Absent such arrangements, please do the following.

Dock locations. Our main docking area at the Angels will not open until Friday morning, October 29. Boats arriving before that time that do not have an arrangement to launch from a club on Boathouse Row will have to park at the Canoe Club. Please bear in mind that due to the closure by the City of the main building at that location and the consequent fencing off of much of the area, we are again NOT designating nor staffing the Canoe Club as an official launching area for this year’s regatta. You may launch from there, but you are “on your own."

All boats arriving on Friday that do not have arrangements to launch from Boathouse Row should proceed to our regatta staging area at the Angels, below Columbia Bridge. Under supervision of the police and parking marshals, pull carefully off Kelly Drive and park where directed. PLEASE RESPECT THE PARK and make every effort not to damage the trees and grass.

On SATURDAY October 30, the first day of racing, boats arriving at the regatta site, particularly those coming in on trailers, may experience some difficulty accessing and parking at their intended destination/launching point, due to congestion caused by vehicles already parked along Kelly Drive.

Mindful of this inconvenience, regatta personnel responsible for traffic and parking control at the Canoe Club will allow you to pull off of Kelly Drive soon after you have come through the police barrier and check point at Strawberry Mansion Bridge, and to park temporarily within the cordoned-off Canoe Club area - if space is available and until it is possible for you to move to your final parking destination.


Competitor vehicle ID tags. The regatta committee issues a limited number of tags to identify competitors’ vehicles. These tags are for use by rowers and coaches only, not parents, friends and other non-competitors. On race days, Saturday, October 30 & Sunday, October 31, these tags are designed to hang inside a vehicle’s windshield from the post of the rear-view mirror.


HOSR vehicle ID tags are not parking permits. They do not, at any time, provide the automatic right to park in the restricted area, or even to park free of charge off site (some off-site parking areas are paid lots, operated by a city contractor). The all-day parking fee is $10. If you do park anywhere in the restricted area, you MUST continue to display the sticker inside your vehicle’s windshield on the lower left side. Otherwise, your vehicle may be towed.


Restricted area on race days. From 5:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 30, the entire area of Kelly Drive between Strawberry Mansion Bridge and the new traffic light will be restricted to vehicles with HOS 2010 Vehicle ID tags only. All such vehicles must be driven (or parked, river side only) in a southbound direction only. At all times, the northbound lanes of Kelly Drive must be kept clear of all vehicles, to enable city emergency vehicles to have unrestricted access. Vehicles driven or parked in the northbound lanes will be cited for a major violation. All vehicles must be removed from Kelly Drive by 6:00 p.m. on Saturday.

On Sunday October 31, the restricted area is the same as Saturday, except all vehicles must be removed by 4:00.

Parking arrangements for visitors. Parents, friends and spectators coming to see the races on Saturday and Sunday are encouraged to take the posted diversion routes instead of trying to enter the restricted area, which may be very congested. The paid off-site parking areas are conveniently accessible from these routes, whether you are driving in from the north or from the south.

Free shuttle-bus service. Throughout both racing days, a free shuttle service will continuously loop in a counter-clockwise direction from the off-site parking lots to the regatta site and back again. Visitors may hail the bus at any point along the route, and can likewise request to be dropped off at any point of their choosing.