President's Visit, Thunder Game Cause Downtown Traffic Mess

The President's motorcade, the Thunder game and downtown construction created a perfect storm for a traffic nightmare throughout the day Wednesday.

Wednesday, March 21st 2012, 9:43 pm

By: News 9


The President's motorcade, the Thunder game and downtown construction created a perfect storm for a traffic nightmare throughout the day Wednesday.

"It's going to be madness," downtown worker Ellen King said.

Just over an hour before the Thunder tipped off, a storm rolled in only adding to traffic headaches.

"Beat the traffic," Thunder fan Chad Pasby suggested. He got to the game three hours early.

The President's route downtown closed Main Street from EK Gaylord to Robinson. Security checkpoints were set up at Park and Broadway and at Sheridan and Robinson. It's all just down the street from the Thunder's stomping grounds.

"It's going to be crazy, but we're just trying to get to the arena and just get settled in there," Pasby said.

King works downtown. She knows the city streets and says, with all the commotion and street closures, she's banking on more than a half hour to get out of downtown.

"It's really rough for us to go through all the traffic," one cab driver said.

But, not everyone had traffic troubles Wednesday.

"I expected it to be really bad, but we just came right in," Thunder fan Mike German said.

Downtown streets were officially blocked off around three Wednesday afternoon.

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