Updated Thursday, June 18 – 3:55 p.m.
As is typical with visits by the nation’s chief executive, traffic turned into a nightmare today in West Los Angeles as President Barack Obama was driven through town en route to the first of two Democratic National Committee fundraisers.
Obama arrived at Los Angeles International Airport around 2:20 p.m., then was flown by helicopter to Santa Monica Airport. A presidential motorcade then moved east on the Santa Monica (10) Freeway and north on the San Diego (405) Freeway.
Both freeways were completely closed to traffic, as were the freeway onramps — leaving some streets in gridlock. Some motorists took to Twitter to complain about the congestion, using the hashtag #ObamaJam.
The traffic disruptions are expected to continue into tomorrow. Obama will attend two fundraisers today, then travel to Highland Park on Friday to record an appearance on a podcast. The Los Angeles Police Department issued a list of areas motorists should try to avoid today and Friday because of Obama’s visit.
The following areas should be avoided until 6 p.m.:
— Evans Road and Monorca Drive;
— Napoli Drive and Sunset Boulevard;
— Sunset Boulevard and the San Diego Freeway;
— San Diego Freeway and Mulholland Drive; and
— Mulholland Drive and Coldwater Canyon Drive.
The following areas should be avoided until 4 p.m.:
— Centinela Avenue and Bundy Avenue;
— Bundy Avenue and the Santa Monica (10) Freeway; and
— San Diego (405) Freeway and Sunset Boulevard.
The following areas should be avoided until 8:30 p.m.:
— Coldwater Canyon Drive and Beverly Drive;
— Beverly Drive and Sunset Boulevard; and
— Wilshire Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard .
The following areas should be avoided between 8 a.m.-noon Friday:
— Arroyo Boulevard and Mountain Street;
— Mountain Street and the Foothill (210) Freeway;
— Ventura (134) Freeway and Colorado Boulevard; and
— Colorado Boulevard and Figueroa Street.
The following areas should be avoided between 9 a.m.-noon Friday:
— York Boulevard and Avenue 51; and
— Yosemite Drive and Avenue 56.
The following streets in Pasadena will be closed from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday:
— Seco Street between West Drive and Lincoln Avenue;
— Rosemont Avenue between West Drive and Lincoln Avenue;
— Rosemount Avenue between Prospect Terrace and North Arroyo Boulevard;
— West Drive between Linda Vista Avenue to Salvia Canyon Road; and
— Rosemount Avenue between North Arroyo Boulevard and Seco Street.
Merv Griffin Way between Wilshire Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills will be closed until noon Friday.
