By Makenna Sievertson - LAist.com
Downtown L.A. is bracing for some major traffic disruptions on Friday as the city celebrates the Dodgers' World Series win.
The parade route will take the team through the Civic Center, and there will also be a special ticketed event at Dodger Stadium shortly after, with some of the proceeds going to the Los Angeles Dodger Foundation.
Mayor Karen Bass said L.A. is ready to celebrate safely at a news conference Thursday morning, shortly after the Boys in Blue touched down at LAX.
“I look forward to seeing everyone out there tomorrow on what would have been Fernando Valenzuela's 64th birthday to celebrate our team and to celebrate our city,” she said.
About the parade
The parade is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. Friday at Gloria Molina Grand Park on Spring Street in front of City Hall.
Bass will kick off the roughly 45-minute route, and Dodger players will travel on double-decker buses from 1st Street, to Grand Avenue, to 5th and Flower streets. People hoping to be part of the parade are “emphatically encouraged” to take public transportation to avoid street closures and parking issues.
“Do not get stuck in bumper to bumper traffic as the parade passes you by,” Bass said.
Offices and companies in downtown L.A. are encouraged to have employees work from home. All county buildings will be open, but moving through the area is expected to be extremely difficult.
Los Angeles Police officers will be along the parade route and throughout nearby neighborhoods as well.
About the ticketed event
Once the parade wraps up, the ticketed event at Dodger Stadium will start around 12:15 p.m. But keep in mind, the team warned that it won’t be feasible for fans to attend both.
Parking gates will open at 8:30 a.m., and entry gates will open at 9 a.m.
The parade will be covered on the scoreboards in the stadium, and food and merchandise will be available.
All of the usual game guidelines and rules still apply, so that means no signs or bags. Tickets go on sale here at noon Thursday.
“The Commissioner's Trophy is heading back to Los Angeles — where it belongs,” L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said. “And I want to thank everyone for staying safe.”
Getting around town
People are encouraged to use the Metro rail system to avoid surface street closures in the heart of downtown, from around Cesar Chavez Avenue to 6th Street and between Figueroa and Los Angeles streets.
The closures will begin 4 a.m. Friday and stay in place until after the parade wraps — and when officials believe the area is once again safe for traffic. More than 100 traffic control officers will also be there to direct vehicles and adjust signals as needed.
Bus service for LADOT downtown DASH, Metro bus, and other commuter services like LADOT’s Commuter Express and Foothill Transit routes will be disrupted and detoured.
“For the hundreds of thousands of people who take the bus in L.A. County, the parade will affect your commute,” said Stephanie Wiggins, Los Angeles Metro CEO.
Thirty bus lines will be affected, including some of the busiest ones, such as the J Line. You can find detour maps on Metro’s website or X account. For those heading to the stadium event, the Dodger Express will be up and running.
“The mayor opened up about this being the city of champions … we are also the City of Angels, so let's remember to respect each other, respect property, please respect our operators, and respect each other,” Wiggins said.
Other impacts
The election is also right around the corner, and all of the vote centers in the area will remain open and accessible throughout the parade.
The Los Angeles City Council meeting has also been canceled.
The Stanley Mosk Courthouse, the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, Superior Court departments at the Spring Street Courthouse, and the Superior Court Archives and Records Center will be closed Friday.
If you had a hearing or matter scheduled at any of these locations, it will be moved to a new date. Time-sensitive criminal cases will be transferred to the Central Arraignment Courthouse or the East Los Angeles Courthouse.
People seeking a restraining order can go to any other courthouse that handles Family Law, and those with Friday hearings will be sent continuances, extending temporary restraining orders, along with new hearing dates.
If you’re scheduled to appear for jury duty at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, you’ll be advised to appear on Monday when normal court operations resume.
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