In the wake of deadly vehicle attacks in Europe, city officials and those protecting the Fremont Festival of the Arts installed large barriers designed to prevent such an attack from causing a catastrophe at the popular Bay Area event.
One dozen barriers, which are devised to halt a vehicle weighing in at 15,000 pounds and travelling at 40 mph from plowing into crowds, are blocking roads leading into the street festival expected to attract approximately 200,000 to 300,000 people this weekend.
"They're intended to be to be able to protect festivals just like this from vehicles that potentially try to come onto the festival grounds," Fremont Police Department Lt. Matt Snelson said.
Public works officials delivered the barriers to their intended locations using trailers, according to Snelton. The barriers were then detached from the trailers and set into place. Each barrier contains two steel plates checking in at two inches thick. One plate rests flat on the ground while the other is placed at an angle.
"It's at an angle so [a vehicle] won't move this unit, which weighs roughly 13,600 pounds, so if you had a big truck coming, it's going to catch the truck at the engine area and it's going to take the whole truck out basically," Jeff Edwards of Fremont Public Works said.
The 12 barriers, which are each 27 feet in length, cost the city of Fremont just over $500,000.
"We felt like this was the right decision, the right purchase to be able to protect our festivals that we have in town," Snelson said.
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In the event that an emergency vehicle needs to enter the festival, the barriers can be lowered quickly to allow access.
For roads not lined with one of the new barriers, water-filled containers have been put in place.
The barriers will be used at upcoming festivals held in Fremont, according to Snelson.
Join NBC Bay Area at the Fremont Festival of the Arts on August 5 and 6 in Downtown Fremont.
Games & Prizes
- Ball tosses - $1 donation benefits Fremont 4th of July Parade
- Prizes - SF Giants hats, shirts and balls
- Prizes - SF 49ers shirts and balls
Summer of Love Ball Toss
- Prize - Summer of Love tie-dye shirt
- Customizable “Summer of Love” dog tags for $1
Meet & Greet
- NBC Bay Area Responds Chris Chmura will be available to meet/greet and answer consumer questions.
- Today in the Bay’s traffic anchor Mike Inouye will join in on the fun and festivities.
Clear the Shelters
- Featuring pets available for adoption at Tri City Animal Shelter.
- Customizable pet tags, $1 donation benefits the Tri-City Animal Shelter.
Subaru Loves Pets Photo Booth
- Take pictures with cats from Tri-City Animal Shelter.
For more information on the Fremont Festival of the Arts, click here.
When: Saturday & Sunday, August 5 & 6
Where: The Fremont Festival of the Arts - Downtown Fremont (The NBC Bay Area booth will be located north of Paseo Padre Pkwy on Walnut Ave)
