Anticipating a lot of traffic in and around downtown Tucson this weekend the City of Tucson Transportation Department is closing the Fourth Avenue underpass to motor vehicle traffic.

Both the streetcar and bicyclists get a pass on the closure.

According to a press release from the city, they expect the area to be congested and want to avoid the gridlock the city experienced during Second Saturdays last week.

Here’s a snippet from the city’s release:

This temporary closure will take place Thursday, August 21, Friday,
August 22 and Saturday, August 23, from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. During the
temporary closure, the Sun Link Streetcar and bicyclists will be allowed
to use the southbound travel lane through the underpass, and pedestrians
will be allowed to use the southbound sidewalk through the underpass.

For the past several weeks, TDOT staff has been evaluating and
monitoring traffic volumes, traffic movements and pedestrian access at
the Congress Street, Fourth Avenue and Toole Avenue intersection. The
increased activity in the downtown area, specifically at the
Congress/Fourth/Toole intersection, has caused gridlock conditions. TDOT
staff made permanent traffic signal timing adjustments last week on
Congress which improved traffic flows.

Prohibiting southbound travel through the Fourth Avenue underpass
during the peak travel hours for this area is expected to further ease
the congestion along Congress Street. TDOT staff will again evaluate and
monitor travel patterns this upcoming weekend and additional traffic
control measures may take place in the future.