The East Peoria Police Department is encouraging motorists to exercise patience when driving to and from UnityPoint Health Red, White and Boom Brought Home by Adam Merrick Real Estate.
“We’ll have multiple different parking lots that will be emptying at the same time,” said East Peoria Police Chief Steve Roegge. “Try to be courteous to the other drivers, understanding that they’re probably going to be just as impatient as you are.”
Roegge reminds fireworks fans in East Peoria where they park will determine how they leave the area.
“We will have approximately 90 percent or more of the department working at different traffic details within the city. It’s not like we don’t have the resources, but the unfortunate thing is with that amount of people pushed into a small area trying to leave it’s going to be a challenge,” Roegge said.
Roegge said, as in past years, there could be traffic delays up to 90 minutes.
Roegge said some barricades will be set up and if you drive around them, you will get a ticket.
Roegge said as you are planning your Fourth of July outing at UnityPoint Health Red, White and Boom, leave your grills, sparklers and fireworks at home.
“When you’re in close proximity to other people then we have challenges,” Roegge said. “Because people can be injured by you enjoying the event but you could also injure other people.”
Roegge also said keep your pets at home.
“Dogs, especially, have a very challenging reaction to fireworks and loud noises. They don’t really understand what’s going on down there,” Roegge said
Roegge said there was a report one year of someone taking a snake to the fireworks.
East Peoria’s UnityPoint Health Red, White and Boom Brought Home by Adam Merrick Real Estate traffic information can be found HERE.