Traffic warning: Soccer match at Levi’s Stadium expected to cause gridlock
With more than 55,000 soccer fans expected to descend on Levi’s Stadium on Wednesday for a marquee match starting at 6:30 p.m. between the United States and Jamaica, commuters are bracing for rough play on the roadways during the evening rush hour.
The 2017 Gold Cup final in Santa Clara is expected to provide transportation headaches that will test newly developed agreements between the stadium and the transit agencies that serve the area.
Traffic gridlock around the stadium is expected to begin as early as 1:30 p.m., when the parking lots open at the venue, and spike again when the event ends about 9:30 p.m., police predict.
Fans coming to see the U.S. vie for a sixth Gold Cup title are being advised by police to take public transportation rather than drive to the stadium.
“Get there early, take public transportation if you can, and just be patient,” said Lt. Dan Moreno, a spokesman for the Santa Clara Police Department.
As on Sunday during the International Champions Cup soccer game at Levi’s, extra light-rail trains will be running to the stadium. The plan was developed as part of a two-game agreement between the San Francisco 49ers and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, with the 49ers reimbursing the agency for the cost of
“Get there early, take public transportation if you can, and just be patient.” Dan Moreno, Santa Clara Police Department spokesman, on how to deal with the Gold Cup final at Levi’s Stadium
the supplementary service, according to VTA.
“We anticipate taking about 6,000 passengers to and from the stadium and that requires quite a bit of extra personnel and train operators,” said Stacey Hendler Ross, a VTA spokeswoman. “We’re running extra trains, extra train cars, and we have ambassadors out there to help people get to where they’re going.”
The VTA 902 lightrail line runs from Mountain View to Levi’s Stadium. Fans can also take Caltrain to the Santa Clara station, then hop onto an Altamont Corridor Express train to the stadium.
VTA will also run extra buses as needed — the 55, 57 and 251 all have stops near the stadium — though those are not covered by the reimbursement agreement between the 49ers and the VTA.
Police are hoping delays won’t be as extreme as they were Sunday, when the game between Real Madrid and Manchester United ended in a penalty-kick shootout, causing gridlock as more than 60,000 fans tried to leave the stadium all at once.
“Typically in a big event, people leave at various times. Typically they don’t all leave at once, so that contributed to the problem,” Moreno said of Sunday’s traffic jam. “It’s just hard to move that many cars.”
Because California’s Great America near the stadium will remain open Wednesday, law enforcement agencies will not be able to set up counterflow lanes, which interfere with access to the amusement park. Major delays are expected at the game’s conclusion as fans flood the parking lots, officials said.
Numerous street closures around the stadium are planned as well, with some streets being blocked off as early as 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
Information on street closures can be found on the city of Santa Clara’s website.