The Inescapable Urban Crawl

It’s going to be a parking lot out there.

That’s what experts are predicting for Orange County highways and thoroughfares this afternoon and evening as motorists begin the long holiday weekend.

And the congestion today previews the annual post-Thanksgiving shopping rush Friday that will clog streets feeding the county’s malls.

“This is always one of the two busiest times of the year, this and Labor Day,” said Officer Angel Johnson of the California Highway Patrol. “With gas prices as low as they are right now, we can expect more cars than ever to be on the road.”

Her advice: Leave home early, or very late, or bring along a supply of patience.

“Unless you can take off work early and leave before noon, you’re better off waiting until after 8 p.m. to get on the freeways,” Johnson said.

John Wayne Airport officials expect gridlock today at the terminal and airport feeder streets with a repeat on Sunday. The officials recommend calling the airport first to check flight status and parking availability, and then arrive 90 minutes early.

“A call ahead can save a lot of time,” said Kathleen Campini Chambers, an airport spokeswoman. “Pretty much Wednesday, all day, is a very, very heavily traveled day.”

Last year, more than 95,000 passengers passed through John Wayne Airport over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend, with nearly 50,000 of them arriving or departing on Wednesday or Sunday, Chambers said.

“If you can wait until Friday, that is normally the quietest day,” she said, noting that about 11,000 travelers used the airport on Friday last Thanksgiving weekend.

The most crowded freeways typically are the Riverside Freeway and Interstate 5 because they offer access to Palm Springs and Las Vegas, and San Diego and Mexico.

“Both those freeways get down to three lanes in some spots,” Johnson said. “That’s just not big enough to handle the volume.”

Police departments are also preparing for the heavy traffic expected all weekend, particularly generated by shoppers on Friday.

Twice the normal daily traffic is expected Friday at the largest and perhaps the busiest mall in the county, South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, officials said.

“We are geared up,” said Lt. John FitzPatrick, the Costa Mesa Police Department’s traffic manager, who will have a special detail of officers posted on the streets around the mall. “You won’t be able to miss us.”

Additional officers will be on duty Thursday at the Edwards Cinema complex at the Irvine Spectrum, said Sgt. Tim Smith, the Irvine Police Department’s traffic supervisor. More parking for moviegoers has been added to the complex, but with new movies opening Thanksgiving Day, Smith expects a rush that afternoon.

“Last year was a total disaster for parking, but that should be better now,” Smith said. “But we still expect a large crowd, probably through the weekend.”

Brea traffic officers advise motorists to avoid the busy Imperial Highway-State College Boulevard intersection near the Brea Mall, if possible.

Police also warned that drunk-driving checkpoints might be set up.

Sgt. Mike Hall of the Laguna Beach Police Department, which operates checkpoints six times a year, said another is planned as soon as this weekend.

The recent opening of the San Joaquin Hills toll road should ease South County traffic. This weekend will be a test case, said Maureena Duran-Rojas, a spokeswoman for Caltrans.

“With the new carpool lanes opened up and the toll road, we are hoping for a lighter flow of traffic on the 5 Freeway this year,” Duran-Rojas said.

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Weekend Travel Tips

* If you’re departing via freeway today, go before noon or after

8 p.m. to avoid the peak traffic hours. Also, return Sunday before 3 p.m.

* Avoid the Riverside Freeway and Interstate 5, which are the most heavily traveled on holidays.

* John Wayne Airport travelers should call (714) 252-5006 for the status of flights and parking information. Officials also suggest using the Main Street parking lot and riding the shuttle, which arrives every 15 minutes, to the terminal.

* Mall visitors should try to use side-street access to parking lots rather than main entrances.

* At South Coast Plaza, parking lots at the north end, near Nordstrom, and the south end, near Saks Fifth Avenue, are the least used.

* Don’t drink and drive. If you are drinking, pick a designated driver or call a taxi for a ride home.

Sources: Caltrans, California Highway Patrol, John Wayne Airport, local police departments; Researched by LEN HALL / Los Angeles Times