Traffic could bring a Saturday snarl in downtown Columbia

Heads up! Road closures and heavy traffic could make driving in downtown Columbia on Saturday a mess.

Start EARLY. Be PATIENT.

Traffic is expected to be heavy around Main Street, in the Vista and near Olympia because of the many festivals and sporting events scheduled. Getting to USC’s baseball stadium and practice football field could be particularly challenging.

Complicating everything is the closure of the soundbound lanes of Huger Street between Gervais and Blossom streets. The lanes closed Friday morning for a sewer repair and won’t open again until late Monday. Motorists wanting to go south toward Olympia are being re-routed to Gervais, Assembly and then Blossom.

If Friday afternoon’s traffic is any indicator, Saturday could be a real tangle.

Folks on Saturday will be headed to, among other places, Bark to the Park at Finlay Park, River Rocks Music Festival at Canalside, Hip-Hop Family Day on Main Street and in the morning, USC’s Spring Game and letterman flag football game near Williams-Brice Stadium.

USC’s baseball team has a three-game series at home this weekend. The team plays at 7 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday. The team’s stadium is just off Huger.

This story was originally published April 8, 2016 at 5:05 PM with the headline "Traffic could bring a Saturday snarl in downtown Columbia."