A Guide to the Pope’s L.A. Tour

ITINERARY Tuesday, Sept. 15

9:55 a.m. Pope arrives from Phoenix at Los Angeles International Airport’s TWA maintenance hangar for greetings closed to the public. He departs via closed limousine for Western Avenue Fire Station, where he transfers to Popemobile for a parade.

10:30 a.m. Parade route of 7.2 miles begins at Western Avenue near the Santa Monica Freeway and proceeds north to Olympic Boulevard toward downtown, ending near St. Vibiana’s Cathedral at Main and 2nd streets.

11:20 a.m. Prayer service at St. Vibiana’s Cathedral for invited guests; greeting by Archbishop Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles and local and state government officials.

Noon: Lunch with the bishops of California in the cathedral residence; rest.

3:00 p.m. Meeting in Universal Amphitheater with 6,000 young Catholics in two-way television hookups with similar gatherings in Portland, Ore.; St. Louis, Mo., and Denver. The event will include singing and dialogue.

4:25 p.m. Addresses 1,500 leaders in the communications and entertainment industry at the nearby Registry Hotel.

6:15 p.m. Mass for 100,000 at the Memorial Coliseum. A 1,250-voice choir representing parishes from throughout Southern California will perform for the assembly.

8:50 p.m. Departs Coliseum by Popemobile and then via closed limousine to St. Vibiana’s, where he spends the night.

Wednesday, Sept. 16

9:00 a.m. Closed meeting with the 250 U.S. bishops in Mission Chapel at Our Lady Queen of Angeles Seminary in Mission Hills. Meeting includes morning prayers and lunch in the mission courtyard. After lunch, rest at seminary until 2:30 p.m.

3:00 p.m. Visit to class at Immaculate Conception Catholic elementary school at 8th and Green streets in downtown Los Angeles.

4:20 p.m. Dialogue with representatives of Buddhist, Islamic, Jewish and Hindu religions at Japanese American Cultural and Community Center downtown. There will be about 100 representatives of each faith; one of each will address the Pope in a “limited dialogue” session, and he will respond.

5:50 p.m. Arrival via helicopter at Dodger Stadium, transfers to Popemobile and circles field.

6:15 p.m. Celebration of Mass for 66,000 at Dodger Stadium. The service is to highlight ethnic diversity of Southern California Catholicism through costumes and song. The nation’s Catholic bishops, vested in red, will concelebrate the Mass with the Pope.

8:45 p.m. Return to St. Vibiana’s for the night.

Thursday, Sept. 17

8:40 a.m. Departs Los Angeles Airport for Monterey.

THE PAPAL MOTORCADE Beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Santa Monica Fwy. (10), at the Western Ave. offramp. North on Western Ave. to Olympic Blvd. East on Olympic Blvd. to Figueroa Ave. North on Figueroa Ave. to 8th St. East on 8th St. to Broadway. North on Broadway to Alpine St. East on Alpine St. to Spring St. South on Spring St. to Macy St. East on Macy St. to Main Street. South on Main St. to 1st St. Ending about 11:15 a.m. at the intersection of First St. and Main St. near St. Vibiana’s Cathedral.

STREET CLOSURES AND PARKING RESTRICTIONS

Streets along the 7.2-mile motorcade route will be closed at 8 a.m. Tuesday and remain closed for as much as two hours after the parade. Cars parked in lots along the route before it closes may be unable to leave immediately after the parade.

Minor cross streets will be closed at 8 a.m. for one block in either direction. Residents will be able to drive from their homes, but only in a direction away from the motorcade route.

Major cross streets (generally those with traffic signals) will remain open as long as possible before the parade. Officials said they cannot predict an exact time and advise that non-spectators avoid the area altogether.

Neither street-cleaning nor parking meter restrictions will be enforced before the motorcade for several blocks on streets crossing the motorcade route. Parking, however, will not be permitted on the cross streets one block on either side of the parade route.

Cars parked on the restricted portions of the cross streets as well as on the motorcade route will be cited and towed. The minimum citation and towing cost is about $78.

Once the route is closed to parking, beginning this weekend, commercial vehicles will be expected to observe all restrictions. This includes street loading or unloading.

FREEWAY RAMP CLOSURES

Times shown are approximate and may begin earlier or extend later, depending on traffic and crowd conditions.

Santa Monica Freeway at Western Avenue (all ramps) beginning at 6 a.m. for about six hours. Suggested alternate ramps: Crenshaw Boulevard (eastbound), Vermont Avenue (westbound).

Harbor Freeway at Olympic Boulevard (southbound off-ramp) beginning at 7:45 a.m. for about five hours. Suggested alternate off-ramp: Wilshire Boulevard.

Harbor Freeway at 9th Street (northbound and southbound off-ramps) beginning at 7:45 a.m. for about five hours. Suggested alternate off-ramps: 6th Street (northbound), Wilshire Boulevard, (southbound).

Hollywood / Santa Ana Freeway at Broadway (northbound and southbound off-ramps) beginning at 7:45 a.m. for about six hours. Suggested alternate off-ramp: Temple Street.

Hollywood / Santa Ana Freeway at Broadway (northbound on-ramp) beginning at 7:45 a.m. for about six hours. Suggested alternate on-ramp: Grand Avenue.

Santa Ana Freeway at Spring Street (northbound off-ramp) beginning as early as 7:45 a.m. for about six hours, depending on traffic and crowd conditions. Suggested alternate off-ramp: Alameda Street.

BUS SERVICE

RTD downtown bus diversions, added service to Masses.

Beginning Monday, the Southern California Rapid Transit District will divert 120 bus lines that normally would cross streets either closed for a few hours for Tuesday’s papal motorcade or for three days around St. Vibiana’s Cathedral, where Pope will stay.

In many cases, the detours will result in passengers being dropped off several blocks from their normal dropoff points. The RTD advises riders who may have a problem with the detours to line up alternate transportation.

In addition to the diversions, the RTD will add buses along Lines 40, from Inglewood to downtown; 81, on Figueroa Street; 200, on Alvarado Street, and 204, Vermont Avenue, for parade spectators and others heading for Tuesday evening’s Coliseum Mass and on Line 635, the route into Dodger Stadium, for Wednesday night’s Mass.

Details of specific bus diversions are available in a special RTD brochure distributed on affected bus lines or by calling (213) 626-4455.

STREETS CLOSED

Streets will be closed to all vehicles around St. Vibiana’s Cathedral beginning 6 a.m. Monday until 6 p.m. Thursday. Pedestrian traffic will be limited to those with specific business in the affected area.

Sources: City police, transportation departments, Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol, the Southern California Rapid Transit District and The Papal Visit Office.