No "rockets' red glare" this Independence day for people in San Ramon.
After collecting input from residents, the city council voted last night to do away with the fireworks at its Fourth of July celebration. The city says it can't keep up with the cost of increasing traffic and crowd control.
The fireworks have been an annual tradition in San Ramon's Central Park since 1985, but the city has seen a huge increase in crowds in recent years. City leaders say that's because many nearby cities have already canceled their fireworks displays for monetary reasons. That's bringing more people from other cities into San Ramon, causing major traffic and crowding problems.
The city saw its largest crowds last year, with some areas getting so congested, emergency vehicles couldn't move through the streets. The city says in order to provide for a safe 2012 event, they would need to increase the budget to $318,000, up from $175,000 for the 2011 event. At last night's council meeting, city leaders decided it would be best to hold the Fourth of July celebration without the fireworks.
Plans for the new, scaled-back celebration will be reviewed on February 28th.
