Staff recommends Washington Boulevard for Cherry Days parade; safety, chair-placement policy draw public concern

City staff recommended holding the 2025 Cherry Days parade on Washington Boulevard, describing traffic-control plans, drop-off zones and staging to reduce congestion and make room for larger floats. Staff also urged clearer public communication about chair placement because enforcement has become contentious.

The nut graf: staff emphasized operational safety — including barricades, specific drop-off zones, and an end-point change to reduce vehicle congestion — and asked the council whether it wanted staff to enforce chair-placement rules or instead post guidance and warnings to the public.

John, a city staff member, summarized the operational rationale: officers and public works staff prefer Washington Boulevard because staff “thought it'd be easier to funnel people in for safety, and we wouldn't have to worry about those that were longer floats or longer vehicles that were involved in the parade that wouldn't be so tight.” He described plans to close specific road segments,…