OCEAN CITY, Md. -- The expected influx of people heading into Ocean City this weekend for Oceans Calling has town leaders in preparation mode. To ensure people get around quickly and safely, a large focus has been placed on travel and parking.
One major change coming to Ocean City transit this weekend will be how frequently buses are stopping. If you take the bus, you may notice "bus stop inactive" signs placed at multiple bus stops.
"Normally our stops are every block and a half to two and a half blocks on average," said Robert Shearman, Transit Director. "We're going to be stopping a little less often, probably every six or so blocks on average."
Shearman said the main goal this weekend will be getting people out of the festival as quickly as possible. Which is why when the headline shows are over, buses will be lined up from South Division Street to Dorchester Street along Baltimore Avenue.
"We all know that we're not going to have enough buses to put everybody on buses at the same time, so some people are going to wait for that second or third loop," said Shearman. "We want that second and third loop to happen as quickly as possible."
For anyone needing to head North following the festival, you will hop on one of the Ocean City Beach Buses. Those will take people anywhere from South Division Street up to 144th street.
For people who need to catch a ride back to the West Ocean City Park-N-Ride, the town has contracted those services through an outside provider. So look out for a yellow school bus or another bus distinct from Ocean City's buses.
"Regardless of what exact bus they're sending, it's going to look different than our city buses for sure, so that should be very easy for them to tell and they'll be picking up at the South Transit Station," said Shearman.
For those driving into town, there are a few parking lots to steer away from. Any municipal lot south of 4th Street, including the inlet parking lot will be off limits.
The 4th Street lot will be used for ride shares, such as Ubers, Lyfts and taxis while all the lots south of there will be used for festival staff, the Ocean City Police Department and the Ocean City Fire Department.
Festivalgoers can park at the West Ocean City Park-N-Ride, at the convention center and at a municipal lot on 100th street. Several traffic changes will also be taking place starting on Friday night.
"Starting a little after 8:00 p.m., Friday, Saturday and Sunday we will be setting up alternative traffic patterns in the downtown area," said Ashley Miller with OCPD.
OCPD said those traffic pattern changes will be:
- Traffic will be prohibited from traveling south of N. Division Street.
- The south turn lane off the US Route 50 bridge onto Philadelphia Avenue will be restricted to emergency vehicles, mass transit vehicles and residents only.
- Vehicles will be diverted onto N. Division Street and then north on Baltimore Avenue.
- A traffic pattern will be established to direct all southbound traffic on St. Lous Avenue to 2nd Street towards Philadelphia Avenue.
- Southbound traffic on St. Louis Avenue will be restricted to emergency vehicles, residents, employees and patrons of downtown businesses.
- Northbound traffic on Baltimore Avenue from S. Division Street to Talbot Street will be reduced to one lane of travel for vehicle traffic.
- Lane 1 will be designated for vehicle traffic.
- Lane 2 will be utilized to stage mass transit vehicles for passenger arrival.
- Lane 3 will be designated as a safety lane.
All traffic pattern changes will last until the events for that given day are over. Changes to Ocean City's bus schedule will remain in place all weekend and will go back to normal on Monday once the entire festival has wrapped up.