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Fishers works to keep Boo Bash from turning into scary traffic situation

FISHERS, Ind (WISH) – With thousands expected at an annual Halloween event, Fishers leaders have a game plan to steer drivers around a project blocking the main entrance.

Crews were busy Friday transforming Fisher’s municipal complex into its annual Boo Bash event. While exhibitors tried to make their booths scary, the frightening part of this event for some parents is what’s happening outside the complex.

A $370,000 road project has shut down part of 116th Street.  This means no one can enter or exit an event that last year drew 6,000.

“There probably will be a backup of traffic,” Fishers parent Katherine Boeldt said.

“Now that you mention 6,000 people, I’m sure there’s going to be a little bit of an issue or delay,” Fishers parent Urooj Hassan said.

Traffic is something city leaders say they’ve worked to avoid. “We’ve definitely tried to put our thinking cap on, tried to pre-plan where our folks would be coming from, how are they going to get into downtown,” Fishers Director of Engineering Jeff Hill said.

There are signs around town to help steer drivers. And online, the city created detour maps to the event for those coming from all directions.

24-Hour News 8 asked city leaders why not just move Boo Bash to a different day? They say each year it coincides with the Hamilton Southeastern School’s fall break, and they didn’t want to change it.

“If they move the event it might be more accessible and easier to get to, but I know the past two weeks they’ve posted about it being closed,” Boeldt said.

Boo Bash, some say, could live up to its name this year: scary for the kids and terrifying for parents getting them there.

If the construction scared you away from coming, or you’ve avoided downtown because of it, the good news is it’s almost over. City officials say it’ll be finished by Monday morning, and there’s a possibility it could end even sooner.