Gulf Coast Carnival Mardi Gras Parade rolls at 1 p.m. in Biloxi. Here’s when and where streets will close.

February 25, 2020

WXXV,

BILOXI, Miss. (WXXV) — The Gulf Coast Carnival Association will have more than 100 units rolling in their Mardi Gras parade, which begins at 1:00 p.m. in downtown Biloxi on Fat Tuesday.

Biloxi Police Chief John Miller has some advice for paradegoers: “Be safe,” he says. “Be courteous. Be patient. Stay behind the barricades, and if there aren’t any barricades, stay on the sidewalk. Don’t get in the way of the floats, and report anything you see – whether it’s someone acting erratically or any dangerous situation – to a nearby police officer.”

Tens of thousands of parade-goers – 75,000 to 85,000 is the norm – are expected to line the 2.8-mile route that snakes through downtown Biloxi before making its way down U.S. 90 to the Biloxi Lighthouse and returning downtown on Howard Avenue.

Here’s when and where streets will close:

The Gulf Coast Carnival Association parade is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and should take three hours to complete the route, police estimate. Here are key elements to the traffic plan:

12:00 noon – Police close I-110 south at Division Street and U.S. 90 converted to two-lane traffic between Bellman Street and Gill Avenue.
12:30 p.m. – Parade route closes to traffic. Lameuse Street between Jackson and Water streets is closed for entertainment in front of City Hall.
1 p.m. – Parade begins at Esters Boulevard and Main Street, heading south on Main.
2 p.m. – Last parade unit should be north on Lameuse. Traffic lights on U.S. 90 placed in flashing mode; officers will control U.S. 90 intersections south of downtown. No northbound travel off U.S. 90 onto downtown streets, except at I-110. Any traffic attempting to enter U.S. 90 near downtown will be forced eastbound. Traffic already westbound on U.S. 90 will be allowed to remain westbound.
3:30 p.m. – Last parade unit should pass under the I-110 on U.S. 90 westbound. No northbound traffic allowed on Caillavet Street until end of the parade.
4 p.m. – Last parade unit should be northbound on Porter Avenue. Police will determine when U.S. 90 westbound from U.S. 90 can re-open.
5 p.m. – Last parade unit should be at Esters and Caillavet, which is the end of the route.