Taylor Swift concert plan targets stadium traffic woes

Plans are being made toimprove traffic flow to thenew stadium this weekend in time for the Taylor Swift concert.

Last week, many football fans missed half the Blue Bombers game because they werewaiting in traffic to get to the stadium at the University of Manitoba campus.

Winnipegger Janet Botterill was at that game and will also be attending Saturdays concert.

"They have to figure it out somehow because I know a lot of people will be frustrated," said Botterill.

Its anticipated 5,000 more people will be attending the show than attended the game, so traffic could be even worse.

Kevin Donnelly, thevice president and general managerof True North Sports and Entertainment, which is putting on the concert,said one of thebottlenecks that slowedtraffic to the game were the checkpoints at Pembina Highway and the roads leading into the campus.

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"Thattravel backlog was caused by the checkpoint system that the football team had instituted, so that's gone and we've moved the checkpoint system off the roads and put them ateach parking lot," he said.

"So you'll be able to come off of Pembina either at Chancellor or University Crescent and proceed right to a parking lot where you'll either pay $20 or show that you've pre-purchased a ticket for parking."

People will also be allowed to come and park four hours prior to the concert, Donnelly said.

Other changes include more buses anddedicated transit lanes, he added.

"I think we made some intelligent changes, some intelligent improvements," said Donnelly.

"Everybody's on the same page. Everybody's trying to make this stadium something we can all use -- we can all be proud of, and the traffic detail will get worked out."

Full details of the plan will be posted on the True Northwebsite by Wednesday evening, with a special Taylor Swift tab.

Mayor Sam Katzsaid the city is also planning toimprove signagein the area.

"A lot of people didn't know where they were going {for the Bomber game last week];they didn't have any parking passes, they were trying to get into lots," he said.

"I think you need signage, way-finding signage, and I think you need it far in advance of hitting the entrances to the university so people know where to go."

Katz himself hopes there will be traffic improvements as he's dropping off and picking up his own daughters at the Swift show.