Traffic Officer’s Tip on Enjoying the Game: Get to Ballpark Early

Say hey! America’s favorite pastime is back. It’s the start of the baseball season, time to pack the kids in the car, head out to the ballpark and . . . sit in traffic.

When the Freeway Series kicks off at Anaheim Stadium tonight between the hometown California Angels and the Los Angeles Dodgers, upward of 20,000 cars will descend on the knot of streets around the Big A.

Don’t fret. Those umpires of the thoroughfares--the Anaheim traffic police--have a few tips that can help any motorist avoid the worst of the congestion.

The cardinal rule: Come early, come early, come early.

Sgt. Ron Lovejoy of the traffic division can’t stress it enough. For a 7:35 p.m. game, he suggests trying to get to the ballpark by 6 p.m. or so.

“On the weekdays it’s certainly a little harder to get away early from work, but arriving at least an hour before the game is one thing that really helps us,” Lovejoy said.

He also warns that the Douglass Road and Katella Avenue entrances are typically the most crowded. Instead, try using Orangewood Avenue off the Orange Freeway. Off the Garden Grove Freeway, The City Drive leading to State College Boulevard is a decent bet.

Lovejoy noted that motorists can help by practicing a little courtesy and following the instructions of the 24 traffic control officers who will man the various intersections. Don’t roll through red lights, don’t block cross traffic. Watch for pedestrians. Practice some patience, he said. And relax. By the fourth inning, that traffic jam will be a distant memory.