No road closures for Golden Knights rally in downtown Las Vegas
Expect one hot, traffic-filled mess during the Wednesday evening rush hour in downtown Las Vegas.
With no planned road closures, high temperatures and scant details on the expected police presence, commuters will encounter Golden Knights fans converging on Fremont Street to celebrate the team’s inaugural season, which ended Thursday after a Game 5 loss to the Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup Final.
“Motorists can expect heavier than normal traffic near the downtown corridor,” said Tony Illia, a spokesman for the Nevada Department of Transportation. “Commuters, as a result, should budget additional travel time or take alternate routes, if possible, if heading through downtown during rally hours.”
A handful of Knights players, general manager George McPhee and coach Gerard Gallant are expected at the fan-appreciation rally, set for 5:30 to 7 p.m. outside the D Las Vegas.
City of Las Vegas spokeswoman Margaret Kurtz said attendees can find public parking spaces by using an interactive map at clvplaces.appspot.com/apps/pkngfinder/index.html.
It is not clear if Las Vegas police prepared for the expected influx of traffic during the celebration. Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Larry Hadfield said Tuesday that he had “no specific details.”
Traffic cameras on congested streets will be monitored by the Regional Transportation Commission, and workers will make signal adjustments when necessary, agency spokeswoman Catherine Lu said.
There are no planned public bus detours in the downtown area, but Lu said RTC staffers will keep an eye on bus stops to determine whether any route changes need to be made.
Wednesday’s forecast high is 108 degrees, and the temperature downtown during the celebration will range from 100 to 104, according to the National Weather Service. The service has issued an excessive heat warning, which will be in effect until 8 p.m. Wednesday.
“Of course, temperatures might be slightly warmer near the pavement,” meteorologist Reid Wolcott said.
Wolcott encouraged attendees to drink lots of water and wear loose-fitting clothing to protect themselves from the sun.
Contact Art Marroquin at amarroquin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0336. Find @AMarroquin_LV on Twitter. Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.
