Eventful Wed. May 21, 2025 @ Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison

Wednesday, May 21, 2025, has the Town of Harrison hosting two major events at Sports Illustrated Stadium. In the morning, there will be the Hudson County Community College Graduation Ceremony, and in the evening, a New York Red Bulls soccer match against FC Dallas. With thousands of people expected to pass through the Southern half of the Town of Harrison, affectionately called the SOHA district near the Harrison PATH Station, law enforcement is urging residents and commuters to plan ahead.

Morning Rush: Hudson County Community College Graduation – 10:00 a.m.

The day will kick off with the Hudson County Community College Commencement Ceremony, scheduled for 10:00 a.m. at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The event is expected to draw graduates, faculty, family members, and guests from all over the county, leading to increased foot and vehicle traffic along South Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard and surrounding roads.

Traffic will be particularly congested near the Harrison PATH Station, as commuters and attendees make their way to the stadium and to work throughout the morning hours.

Evening Rush: Red Bulls vs. FC Dallas – 7:30 p.m. Kickoff

Later in the day, the New York Red Bulls will host FC Dallas in a US Open Cup match, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. The match is not expected to fill the stadium but draw a substantial number of fans adding additional cars that will congest major arteries throughout the SOHA area, especially since the game start time is during the evening commute.

Had the threatened NJ Transit rail strike not been settled, the day could have been even more chaotic. Contingency plans had called for up to 95 to 200 charter buses daily coming from the Woodbridge Mall to the Harrison PATH Station. That would have been a logistical nightmare for the Harrison Police Department. Fortunately, with a deal in the works between NJ Transit and its engineers, the town has avoided what many feared would be an event that would have produced gridlock even with a traffic plan in place.

Traffic Alerts and Street Closures

To manage the anticipated traffic and ensure public safety, the Harrison Police Department will enforce the following road closures and parking restrictions:

Full Day Road Closure: 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.

• Peter B. Higgins Blvd. between Guyon Drive and Crucible Drive

Afternoon to Evening Road Closures: 12:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.

• Crucible Drive between South 5th Street and Peter B. Higgins Blvd.
• Riverbend Drive between Frank E. Rodgers Blvd. and Peter B. Higgins Blvd.

No Parking Zones:

• Surrounding streets will be posted in advance.
• No Parking will be enforced from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
• The ParkMobile App will deny any payment attempts on event day—parking will not be allowed even if attempted digitally.

Strict Enforcement Measures:

• All construction personnel, equipment, and vehicles—including employee personal vehicles—must be removed from affected areas.
• Violators will be ticketed and towed.

Special Provisions for Residents

Recognizing the challenges that closures pose to local residents, the Harrison Police Department will provide police escorts for anyone needing to access their home or apartment in the area of Red Bull Arena and the PATH Station.

Staging for escorts will take place in the parking lot next to Seabra’s Supermarket, located on Frank E. Rodgers Blvd. South. Residents are encouraged to utilize this service during peak closure periods.

Contact Information for Questions or Concerns

Residents or commuters with questions can contact the Harrison Police Department at
(973) 483-4100 or by email at [email protected].  Please note these are non-emergency contact phone and email. If its an emergency Call 911 and identify that you are in the Town of Harrison and your location.

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