HUNTINGTON PARK : Huntington Park to Close Pacific Boulevard Tuesday

Pacific Boulevard, the site of raucous celebrations twice in the past two weeks marking Mexico’s advancement in the World Cup, will be closed Tuesday morning, hours before the Mexican team takes the field against Bulgaria, city officials said Friday.

The city also may impose a 10 p.m. to dawn curfew beginning Tuesday, should it be needed to help ensure peace, Huntington Park Police Chief Bill Reed said.

Police plan to divert traffic off Pacific Boulevard between Florence and Slauson avenues beginning at 7 a.m. and then close the area to pedestrians by 1 p.m., when businesses are also scheduled to close for the day.

Reed said these preparations are intended to ensure public safety should the Mexican team win and thousands pour onto the boulevard to celebrate. Should Mexico lose or jubilant crowds never materialize, officials said the Police Department will be flexible Tuesday and may loosen its grip on the central business district and scrap the Tuesday night curfew.

A deputy from the Mexican Consulate attended Friday’s press conference to ask residents to celebrate peacefully should Mexico win its match against Bulgaria in the World Cup’s round of 16 Tuesday. The match, which starts at 1:35 p.m. local time, will be played at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J.