TRAFFIC GUIDE: Speed Street and Coca-Cola 600

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Some roads in uptown will begin closing Wednesday for this year's Speed Street.

Charlotte city leaders have declared the annual festival an extraordinary event.

The ordinance gives police more power to enforce laws and bans items like backpacks, masks and anything that can be considered a weapon.

Speed Street

400,000 spectators are expected to attend the Speed Street festivities which will close some uptown streets from Wednesday, May 21 – Sunday, May 25 (early morning.)  Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes around the uptown area.  Those wishing to attend the event or needing to commute to the center city are strongly advised to ride the LYNX Blue Line Light Rail. 
A complete street closure schedule and an event site map can be found in the PDFs to the left. For more information please visit here or here. More details are as follows:

• Motorists should allow for additional commute time
• During weekday work hours, uptown workers should arrive early and leave early if possible
• Commuters should utilize the I-277 loop/exit closest to their location
• Commuters traveling in an east/west direction are advised to use Trade, Fifth and Sixth Streets
• Commuters can access parking facilities regularly before 9 a.m.

Streets Closed May 21-25:

• Tryon Street between Stonewall Street and Trade Street
• Third Street between College and Church Streets
• Fourth Street between College and Church Streets
• Levine Avenue of the Arts between Church and Tryon Streets
• Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between Church and Caldwell Streets (access will be maintained to Wells Fargo and AT&T buildings)
• Brevard Street between Third Street and Stonewall Street (access maintained to NASCAR Hall of Fame parking garage)

Reopening for weekday morning rush: 6 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.:
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Third Street and Fourth Street between College Street and Church Street.

For more information about the LYNX Blue Line schedules, pick up locations and stops, go to www.ridetransit.org.

Race Day Traffic

Events leading up to the Coca-Cola 600 is expected to cause significant delays in northeast Mecklenburg County and southwest Cabarrus County May 15-25. The heaviest traffic is expected on I-85, U.S. 29, N.C. 49 and Bruton Smith Boulevard. The following are suggested routes for motorists to get to the speedway:

• For motorists traveling from South Carolina: Take I-77 North to the I-485 outer loop (Exit 1B) to U.S. 29 North (Exit 32) or N.C. 49 North (Exit 33).
• For motorists traveling from west of Charlotte: Take I-85 North to I-485 (Exit 48) to U.S. 29 North (Exit 32) or N.C. 49 (Exit 33). An alternate route is I-85 North to Poplar Tent Road (Exit 52) to Pitts School Road to U.S. 29 South. Through traffic should remain in the left two lanes of I-85 North to avoid delays near Exit 49.
• For motorists traveling from east of Charlotte: Take the I-485 outer loop to U.S. 29 North (Exit 32) or N.C. 49 North (Exit 33).
• For motorists traveling from north of Charlotte: Take I-85 South to Poplar Tent Road (Exit 52) to Pitts School Road to U.S. 29 South.
• Commuters who use I-85 can expect delays Friday afternoon, May 23, and should adjust driving time if possible, or use an alternate route. Additionally, on Sunday, May 25, officials will limit access from I-85 to Exit 49 at approximately 10 p.m.

WSOC