Photo: Don’t let traffic get you down this July 4th holiday.

Make no mistake about it; with the 4th of July on a Monday, today, Friday, July 1 is the beginning of a four-day holiday for a majority of Belmontians. So here are a few helpful tips before you start your holiday 

• Heading out of town on the roads today? Take time to get the latest travel advisories.

For traffic and road conditions, drivers may use new technology:

• Travelers may dial 511 and select a route to hear real-time conditions for more than one thousand miles of roadways in Massachusetts and for some roads in other states.
• Visit the website, mass511.com, to find real-time traffic and incident information.
• Access MassDOT traffic camera images of portions of Rt. 3, Rt. 6, Rt. 28, and I-90, I-91, I-93, and I-95 by visiting:  http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/TrafficTravelResources/TrafficInformationMap
• Download the Ridewise app to obtain travel times for various routes including Route 3, Route 6, I-93 and portions of I-90.  The app is available on Android and iPhone.

• Stock up on best-sellers, get the books on your reading list or find that favorite film as the Belmont Public Library will be open until 5 p.m., Friday, July 1. It will be closed until Tuesday, July 5.

• If you are looking to pay that parking ticket, town offices will be closing at 1 p.m. on Friday, July 1.

• Looking to sneak out of town via the commuter rail or trolley? You’ll have to dig a bit deeper in you wallet as the MBTA is raising fees today, Friday, July 1. Also, if you are traveling by the T on the 4th, there is no fare on the subway lines after 9:30 p.m. 

• Staying in town? Not leaving ’til later? Then come to the Benton Library for a bit of quiet time  at 75 Oakley Rd. on the corner of Oakley and Old Middlesex. The Benton is open on the first Friday evening of every month.

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