The New England Patriots are getting a heroes' welcome after returning victorious from Super Bowl XLIX.
The team will ride through downtown Boston on Wednesday morning in two dozen World War II-style amphibious vehicles that are staples of championship parades in Boston. The parade kicks off 11 a.m. by the Hynes Convention Center and winds down Boylston Street past the city's famous Common on route to City Hall Plaza.
The parade comes after Boston was buried in more than 3 feet of snow that's piled up in the past seven days - a record for the city. The city had initially planned the downtown parade for Tuesday, but Mayor Marty Walsh pushed it back because the city was still digging out from a Monday storm that brought over a foot of new snow.
Walsh this week urged paradegoers not to perch on snowbanks, to dress appropriately for below-freezing temperatures and to continue to show restraint in celebrating. He also defended the city's decision to hold the parade midweek rather than wait until the weekend, saying most Patriots players will have left for vacation by then.
The MBTA has said commuters should continue to see delays into Wednesday. Old equipment and snow-removal impacted services Tuesday, causing hours of delays for some passengers.
Buses will continue to replace Mattapan Trolley service between Ashmont and Mattapan stations throughout the day.
Local
Passengers can check updates on schedules on the MBTA website.
In addition, passengers looking to use MBTA services to reach the parade are encouraged to check schedules for reaching the parade route.
The Patriots arrived in snowbound Massachusetts late Monday after their 28-24 victory over the defending champion Seattle Seahawks in Glendale, Arizona.
Fans waiting in chilly weather outside Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, south of Boston, waited for hours to catch a glimpse of their beloved team. Coach Bill Belichick and several players greeted fans as they arrived at the stadium to clean out their lockers and pick up their cars.
Boston sports fans are no stranger to championship parades. The city has had nine since 2001.
The Patriots have won four Super Bowls, the Red Sox have won three World Series titles and the NBA's Celtics and the NHL's Bruins have each won a championship in that period.
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