Holiday Travel Packs Planes, Trains, Buses

Through the air, on the highway and by rail, thousands of people made their way either to or from San Diego on Wednesday to Thanksgiving Day destinations. In doing so, many got in each other’s way, causing massive traffic tie-ups at Lindbergh Field, clogging freeways to a standstill and harrying baggage handlers at bus and railroad depots.

For all the onslaught, the crush of people was normal for Thanksgiving Eve, which has become the busiest getaway day of the year, according to police and airport officials.

Despite all the activity, no major accidents or incidents were reported.

The California Highway Patrol said there was heavy traffic on all major San Diego freeways, beginning late in the afternoon and continuing for a few hours after dark. Among the most congested of thoroughfares was Interstate 15, the CHP said.

Bud McDonald, Lindbergh Field manager, said that he expects about 100,000 passengers to use the airport during the five-day Thanksgiving holiday that ends Sunday. While that would be burdensome enough in itself, McDonald also expects an additional 200,000 people at the airport to greet or say goodby to passengers.

“For every passenger, there are two visitors,” he said. And almost all airport visitors arrive by car, causing virtual gridlock, according to the San Diego Harbor Police, the agency in charge of security at Lindbergh Field.

A Harbor Police official said traffic at the airport began backing up in the afternoon and seemed to hit a peak about 7 p.m. Heavy traffic hit again at about 9:30 p.m., when a host of incoming flights arrived.

Over at the Santa Fe Depot on Kettner Boulevard, Amtrak officials said extra cars were added to both arriving and departing trains. And they were needed, as the trains were packed with up to 600 people, said Dana Holden, a baggage handler.

Things were so hectic that all seven trains arriving from the Los Angeles area after 3:30 p.m. were 15 to 20 minutes late.

At the Greyhound bus depot on West Broadway, the fleet of buses normally used to carry passengers to Los Angeles was doubled, and all were full, according to officials there.