SeatGeek Concert Disrupts Local Traffic

On the evening of July 30th 2022, I was coming home on 79th Street going Eastward. While it was bad enough waiting to get on to the bridge from 78th avenue to Oketo, I was on the bridge itself for well over 10 minutes. When I finally made it down from the bridge, I could see part of a reason. In addition to ridiculously heavy traffic, the police were blocking the northward entrance to Oketo Avenue. I therefore needed to go further east, which took another 5 minutes, until I made it to the entry to Walgreens. I was then able to take Oconto to 77th Street, but when I went Eastward to try to get on Harlem, it was blocked also! “Had a horrible time trying to get down my street. All entrance[s] [were] closed off,” said Rhonda Ingram, a Bridgeview resident. “It's terrible on Sayre also,” added Amber Burton. “Roughly 20 mins ago you were lucky to be to be able to drive in either direction on 79th Street because Harlem was solid and people were blocking the intersection.”

It was discovered later that there was a Grupo Firme concert at SeatGeek Stadium, which is why traffic was being redirected. It is a paradox how the police were given instructions to redirect traffic, but the way it was done was severely found wanting. Everywhere, you could hear people blaring their horns and swearing at fellow drivers, as if that would do anything. “Bridgeview does a fine job with traffic issues. People trying other ways instead of going in the right way,” said Kevin O’Connor.

This is not the first time this has happened. Whenever there is a special occasion at the stadium, either a major game or a religious holiday for our Muslim community, redirection of traffic has cause more problems. It's one thing to manage traffic because of The outsiders coming to our town for their revelries, but it should never be this difficult for a Bridgeviewer to go anywhere in his or her own town, particularly going home.

It is time for the trustees or whoever is responsible to find new ways for directing traffic to ensure that the residents can get where they need to go whilst keeping the visitors from parking in forbidden areas. There needs to be some serious traffic reform, especially considering all of the car accidents on Harlem avenue, from 71st Street to 87th Street and even further south. Part of the blame goes to these drag racers on residential areas. What needs to happen before traffic control reform takes place? A six car pile-up?