Roads Closed, Checkpoints Set Up Ahead Of Kobe Bryant Memorial
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Several streets in Downtown Los Angeles will be shut down and experience more traffic than usual Monday morning ahead of the public memorial service for Kobe Bryant at Staples Center.
Chick Hearn Court and Georgia Street are blocked off in front of Staples Center, where the memorial for the NBA superstar will begin at 10 a.m.
People without tickets are being urged to not come to Staples Center, which will not broadcast the memorial on its outdoor screens. But even those with tickets will find making their way to Staples Center to be more arduous than usual as several checkpoints have been set up on the route to the stadium.
Other downtown Los Angeles streets that are expected to see heavier traffic than usual included Figueroa Boulevard, Flower Street, Grand Avenue, 8th Street, 9th Street, Olympic Boulevard, and 11th and Pico. The 110 and 10 freeways are also expected to see heavier traffic ahead of the memorial.
The memorial is expected to end promptly at 1 p.m. so Staples Center can break down the floor for of a Clippers game Monday night.
In Orange County, mourning fans will gather at two venues to watch the memorial together. The memorial will be shown at Santa Ana City Hall, 22 Civic Center Plaza, and at the Championship Soccer Stadium at the Orange County Great Park, 8000 Great Park Blvd. in Irvine.
Attendees are being asked to not bring gifts, flowers or signs to the memorial, and should plan to be in their seats by 9:45 a.m.
Donations in memory of Bryant may be made to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.