Those planning to attend the wildcard playoff match-up between the Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings on Monday evening should get to Glendale early and avoid using the downtown stretch of Interstate 10, Arizona transportation officials recommended.
Amid the severe wildfires that have devastated communities around Los Angeles, the NFL relocated what would have been a Rams postseason home game to State Farm Stadium in Glendale. The Arizona Cardinals home field will host the Rams and Vikings, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m.
Officials from Glendale and the Arizona Department of Transportation are treating the event like it’s a typical Monday Night Football match-up.
That means the layout for road closures and traffic routes to get in and around the stadium will be the same as during the Cardinals’ home games.
“Allow plenty of extra time, try to get to the stadium area early and be patient, since you’ll be sharing the freeways with a lot of other fans and regular commuters,” ADOT spokesperson Doug Nintzel stated in an email.
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The parking lots for tonight’s game open at 2 p.m. That will give eventgoers an opportunity to park early and explore some of the shops and restaurants at the Westgate Entertainment District, Nintzel stated.
Those traveling across town to get to the game should consider using the Loop 202 to the south or the Loop 101 in the north to get around the downtown Phoenix area, where rush hour traffic will cause delays along I-10.
If using the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, drivers can connect to I-10 near 59th Avenue, and head west toward the stadium, off the western stretch of Loop 101.
When exiting Loop 101, drivers should use Glendale Avenue or Cardinals Way to get to State Farm Stadium for the game.
“Also, from the East Valley, think about using westbound Loop 101 across Scottsdale and north Phoenix to get to Glendale,” Nintzel stated. “You’ll still need to allow extra travel time since that freeway has its own rush hour traffic. But it’s a way to avoid I-10 through the downtown region, which we expect to be very busy.”
When exiting Loop 101, drivers should use Glendale Avenue or Cardinals Way to get to State Farm Stadium, said Randy Moreno, Glendale traffic engineer supervisor.
Asked whether the city anticipates seeing more traffic because of visiting fans for both teams, Moreno said a lot are expected, but many of them are likely to use ride-sharing options, as well as busses and shuttles.
“I think the only traffic issues that we might have, or concerns, are probably going to be for rush hour this afternoon, between about four and six,” he said.
Glendale residents just looking to get home and avoid the traffic around the stadium can still use Glendale Avenue, Moreno said. However, he added, Northern Avenue or Indian School Road will be better alternatives.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How to avoid getting stuck in traffic on way to Vikings-Rams game
