MLK Unity Parade to bring widespread downtown Houston street closures Monday

Road closures are rolling out across downtown Houston as the city prepares for the first MLK Unity Parade, with some restrictions starting Sunday and expanding early Monday.

According to the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, road closures will begin Sunday and expand early Monday to allow crews to stage and set up the parade route. The parade starts at 10 a.m. Monday and will wind through the downtown before dispersing into outbound Allen Parkway.

Sunday closures

• Walker Street between Bagby and Smith will have curb lane closures from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• McKinney Street between Bagby and Smith will have north curb lane closures from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Monday parade staging and production closures

• McKinney between Bagby and Smith will close from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Walker between Bagby and Smith will close from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Smith between Rusk and Dallas will close from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• McKinney between Smith and Louisiana will have curb lane closures from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Brazos between Dallas and Lamar will close its two center lanes from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. with curb lanes remaining open.
• Lamar between Smith and Bagby will have two south curb lanes closed from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Traffic from the I-45 off ramp will be redirected at Sabine and Allen Parkway toward Memorial Drive from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Allen Parkway inbound and outbound between Shepherd and Smith will be closed from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Access from Clay Street to West Dallas via the east curb lane will remain open to the C. Baldwin Hotel.
• Bagby northbound between Dallas and McKinney will close from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Bagby southbound between Walker and Clay will close from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Lamar between Louisiana and outbound Allen Parkway at the I-45 overpass will close from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Gillette Street will close midblock between the Federal Reserve Bank and Allen Parkway from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Parade route

The MLK Unity Parade begins at 10 a.m. Monday and will travel along Smith between Lamar and Walker, Walker between Smith and Milam, Milam between Walker and Pease, Pease between Milam and Louisiana, Louisiana between Pease and Clay, and Clay between Louisiana and Smith. The parade will end on Smith at Lamar and disband into outbound Allen Parkway.