Countywide : Air Show Promises Thrills, Traffic Ills

The annual air show at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station this weekend promises impressive aerobatic stunts and maneuvers, but organizers say there will be a downside: gridlock on the highways and surface streets.

Officials coordinating the annual Navy Relief Air Show featuring the Blue Angels estimate that about a million people will attend the free event during its three-day run, which will begin at 8 a.m. Friday with a special show limited to senior citizens and the disabled.

The gates will open at 7 a.m. each day and the first plane is scheduled to take off at 8 a.m. in a morning series of aerobatic stunt flights.

Traffic is always bad, but officials say this year could be even worse because of construction on the Santa Ana Freeway, which has effectively shut down the show’s traditional access via the Sand Canyon Avenue exit.

“It’s going to be a mess if people try to get off at Sand Canyon,” said Lt. Gene Browne, deputy director of public affairs at the Marine base.

The public is being advised to use the Culver Drive and Jeffrey Road exits from the southbound Santa Ana Freeway, then proceed east to either the main gate at Trabuco Road or Gate 15A off Irvine Boulevard. From the northbound Santa Ana Freeway, they are asked to use the Alton Parkway exit, located just north of the El Toro Y interchange, and head south to rear Gate 3 off of Fairbanks.

From the San Diego Freeway, the new Sand Canyon Avenue off-ramps will be open but traffic will be detoured to Gate 3 via Alton Parkway or Irvine Center Drive, said Irvine Police Sgt. Mike Ogden. Signs are posted at all four exits to alert motorists of possible delays, and signs will also be posted on surface streets to direct air show spectators to the nearest gate.

At noon Friday and Saturday, the Marine Air Ground Task Force, based in Camp Pendleton, will demonstrate its combat maneuvers. The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squad, better known as the Blue Angels, will take off at 3 p.m. On Sunday, the schedule will vary slightly, with a noon opening ceremony planned by military officials, followed by the Task Force at 12:30 p.m. and the Blue Angels at 3 p.m. All day’s shows are expected to end by 4 p.m., Browne said.

Last year, a crowd of 800,000 attended over the three days, Browne said.

Getting to the El Toro Air Show The annual air show at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station makes its three-day run this weekend, and organizers warn that traffic could be especially bad this year of construction on the Santa Ana Freeway. Below are recommended routes, which will be posted with signs leading to the base.