Parking for Holiday Bowl Certain to Be Big Problem

Using simple mathematics, it’s easy to deduce that many of the 60,000-plus ticket holders will have a major problem finding parking spots for Tuesday’s Holiday Bowl among the nearly 18,000 parking spaces at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

With that in mind, San Diego police have recommended that those attending the sold-out game between San Diego State University and the University of Iowa arrive early for the 6 p.m. kickoff. Stadium security will be making some extra checks of the parking lot to ensure everyone’s safety.

“With a home town team playing, coupled with everyone in San Diego driving their own car, we expect parking to be a mess,” said David Moore, head of stadium security. “I don’t think there’ll be any parking left in the stadium lot after 5:45 or so.”

The parking lot will open at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Moore said. Police said tailgaters who set up in more than one parking space must give up the extra space an hour before the game.

According to Moore, there are 17,800 parking spaces for cars and 120 for buses. The total number of tickets sold was 60,751.

“We’ll have our regular number of security guards (200), but we’ll be making a few extra rounds of the (stadium) perimeter to make sure everything is going smoothly,” Moore said. “I’ve been here (working at the stadium) since September, and in that time we have had no major problems. We hope to keep it that way.”

Traffic is expected to back up on Interstates 8 and 15 at the same time the evening rush hour begins, Moore said.

“I’m sure we’ll have the usual traffic, just like at Charger games,” Moore said. “The only difference is that this will be a Tuesday night, with all that other traffic.”

Lengthy delays are also expected on Friars Road, San Diego Mission Road and other major roads leading into the stadium for at least two hours before game time, police said.

San Diego Transit will provide special shuttle service to the game from downtown, Hillcrest, El Cajon, La Mesa, Mira Mesa, Mission Beach, Bonita and Kearny Mesa, beginning at 2:30 p.m.