Take a sellout or near-sellout crowd at the Amphitheater at Clark County. Mix in the usual afternoon rush-hour traffic. Then add in motorists leaving Vancouver-Portland for a summer weekend, reports The Colombian (Vancouver).
State transportation officials are bracing for a traffic headache this afternoon. Anticipating a crowd of 17,000 for Coldplay, the Washington Department of Transportation is advising concertgoers coming from the south to consider a slightly unorthodox alternative — especially if concert traffic is backing up at the main fairgrounds exit at 179th Street.
"It could save them a lot of time and frustration," DOT spokeswoman Abbi Russell said. Officials suggest northbound motorists bypass the exit at 179th Street; travel two miles north to the new Battle Ground exit at 219th Street; then use the new interchange to circle back on I-5 south. They'll then take the southbound exit at 179th.
3p.m.:The Friday night blues on I-5 northbound are already underway, as tonight's Coldplay show at the Amphitheater at Clark County adds about 6,000 vehicles to the week's busiest rush hour. It's just the start of a weekend of traffic hell that will also bring a Red Line MAX closure and major repaving in Gresham.
Meanwhile, one lane of eastbound Interstate 84 remains closed seven miles east of Multnomah Falls as crews continue to clean up road tar that spilled from an overturned tanker on Wednesday morning. ODOT is offering no estimated time when the entire section of The Gorge highway will be completely reopened.
The alternative could be especially useful for motorists heading north on I-5 before the freeway converges with I-205. Bypassing the 179th exit will eliminate the need for those motorists to immediately weave to the right. In addition, C-Tran is planning to run eight shuttle buses to the amphitheater from the Salmon Creek Park and Ride at 134th Street beginning at 6 p.m.
The buses will run every 15 minutes, using back roads otherwise dedicated to local traffic only. After the show, the transit service will beef up its shuttle fleet to 17 buses available to ferry concertgoers out of the arena. Riders will pay a round-trip fare of $2.
Meanwhile, amphitheater officials were busy on Thursday making preparations for what one called an "elaborate" setup for Coldplay, the popular British band that has been touring the United States since May. The band is scheduled to go on to perform at the Gorge Amphitheater in central Washington on Saturday. "We're just thrilled that they're here," said Keevin Wagner, the Clark County venue's marketing manager. "You couldn't have planned a better season-opener with that act."
Parking will begin at 5 p.m., with gates to the venue opening at 5:30 p.m. Coldplay will take the stage at 7:30 p.m., following two opening acts: Kitty Daisy & Lewis, and Amadou & Mariam.
Coldplay at Main Square Festival, Arras, France (2nd July 2009):
Picture by TiteFleur59
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