Heavy uptown traffic expected midweek for Belk Bowl events

Uptown traffic around Bank of America Stadium will be rerouted Tuesday and Wednesday to accommodate setup of the Belk Bowl FanFest, which will include a free outdoor concert by country singer and “American Idol” winner Carrie Underwood.

Event organizers expect 50,000 participants for the festival, which runs 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday outside Bank of America Stadium. Street closures will begin on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. to start setting up for the festival. The streets will reopen Wednesday at 11 p.m.

The Belk Bowl festivities culminate with a 3:30 p.m. game Wednesday between N.C. State and Mississippi State at the stadium.

Street closures include:

▪ South Mint Street between Morehead Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, starting 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

▪ Graham Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Mint Street, starting 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

▪ Stonewall Street between Mint Street and Church Street, starting 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Traffic, both vehicles and pedestrians, will be heaviest Wednesday, with on-street parking limited in the festival area. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police will have a heavy presence in the area, officials said.

The festival will feature family fun, food, interactive games, face painting and a 1 p.m. Wednesday concert by Carrie Underwood at the intersection of Mint and Stonewall streets, outside Bank of America Stadium.

Commuters are asked to plan accordingly, and riding CATS is encouraged. For details, visit ridetransit.org or call customer service at 704-336-RIDE (7433).

This story was originally published December 28, 2015 at 5:36 AM with the headline "Heavy uptown traffic expected midweek for Belk Bowl events."