Selma will no doubt become one of the busiest cities in the Southeast this weekend. As roads become congested and streets fill with people, the Selma Police Department is encouraging everyone to stay patient.

“Be patient is what I’m telling everybody,” said Lt. John Brock with the Selma Police Department.

“There’s very few entrances and exits to Selma. So traffic coming into town is going to be backed up, and the bypass is going to be swamped because the bridge is shutdown.”

The Edmund Pettus Bridge, along with a three-block radius of Water Avenue, will remain closed until approximately 6 p.m. Saturday night. The bridge will close again at 10 a.m. Sunday morning.

The public is advised to be cautious while on the roads and look out for other drivers.

When parking, Brock said all legal parking will be fine, but anything illegal like double parking or parking on private property can result in vehicles being towed at the owners’ expense.

“As long as it’s legal parking — do not park on private property. The property owners can have it towed,” Brock said. “If we find any vehicles park in the roadway or blocking driveways or roadways or intersections, we have records, and there’s going to be towing at their expenses.”

When people arrive for President Barack Obama’s speech, they will be required to go through airport-like security.

“[People] are going to have to go through metal detectors, long lines [and] be patient,” Brock said. “We’re setting it up just like airport security. Don’t bring anything down here that’s considered a weapon. Scissors, box cutters, knives — all that stuff that you don’t think is a weapon — Secret Service thinks is a weapon.”

In addition to scissors, box cutters and knives, Brock said wrenches, screwdrivers, mace, large fingernail clippers and will not be permitted. Signs will be allowed, but no sticks will be permitted.

“Anything you think you could hurt somebody with, don’t have it with you,” Brock said. “You can bring camcorders, and you can bring cameras, but anything that’s considered a weapon they will not let you inside [with].”