Road and Rail Traffic Snarls Pop Up on Eve of Convention

From the Westside to downtown Los Angeles, traffic snarls, closed streets and a few disruptions in rail service marked the eve of the opening of the Democratic National Convention.

Sunday morning, downtown workers were rerouted after streets near the Civic Center were barricaded for a 10K race. On the Westside, massive traffic jams followed the route of President Clinton as he moved through Santa Monica to attend a function at the Casa del Mar hotel.

Later, more downtown streets were closed as thousands of demonstrators marched from Pershing Square to Staples Center in support of convicted police killer Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Nor did rail passengers escape delays. On the Metro Blue Line, trains were stopped at the Pico Station, across the street from Staples, when police noticed a suspicious jumble of cables and wires wrapped in black plastic.

“It turned out to be nothing,” said Marc Littman, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Later in the afternoon, Green Line trains were halted at stops on either side of the busy Rosa Parks Station at Imperial Highway and Wilmington Avenue as police investigated a robbery and shooting there. Passengers were forced to leave the trains and travel between the Green Line’s Avalon and Long Beach stations by bus.

Elsewhere, light rail and subways were packed Sunday, carrying demonstrators to marches, delegates on tours of the city, and the usual heavy Sunday crowds to the stores on Broadway.

“I’ve never seen it so crowded,” said Johnnie Hammond, 77, who managed to squeeze off a standing-room-only train at the Pico Station. With temperatures downtown reaching 91, Hammond sat on a bench and took a few deep breaths. “People were pushing and shoving to get on. They were just like sardines in there.”

Although freeways were generally clear Sunday, with no SigAlerts reported, the situation could change today as the convention officially begins and 30,000 delegates, party workers and news media members pour into downtown.

In connection with the convention, city officials Sunday announced more street closures.

Streets around Paramount Studios in Hollywood, where Gov. Gray Davis will host a party today, will be closed from 4 p.m. today until 2 a.m. Tuesday.

Melrose Avenue will be closed between Wilton Place and Vine Street. Gower Street will be closed between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose, and Van Ness Avenue will be closed between Santa Monica and Melrose.

On Thursday, from 6 p.m. until midnight, convention parties in Exposition Park will keep 32nd Street closed between Figueroa Street and Hoover Street; Jefferson Boulevard closed between Figueroa and Hoover; and Royal Street closed between 32nd and Jefferson.

Despite the disruptions, residents appeared to be adjusting.

One of those delighted by the ongoing show was Linda McGibney, a TV writer from Sherman Oaks. She said she was drawn to the hotel in Santa Monica by the “50,000 police outside.”

She noted huge traffic jams and other problems, but said, “I love it. I’m a Democrat.”

“It’s going to be a total pain,” she said, “but better here than somewhere else. This is a Democratic city.”

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Times staff writers Josh Meyer and George Ramos contributed to this story.