Summit of the Americas expected to cause heavy traffic throughout LA

Local officials are expecting heavy traffic not only at LAX but throughout downtown as President Joe Biden and leaders from across the western hemisphere are set to arrive next week for the Summit of the Americas. 

Officials asked drivers to avoid several freeways and streets in downtown Los Angeles all week long as the summit's events are taking place.

"The area to avoid is primarily on northbound 110 between the 10 and the US 101 Hollywood freeway where the four-level is on," Caltrans public information officer Marc Bischoff. "On the northbound side, we're asking drivers to avoid using any of those exit ramps between the 10 and the 101. On the southbound side, avoid the Wilshire Avenue and 6th Street off-ramps.

All of this is in preparation for the ninth Summit of the Americas starting on Monday at 10 p.m. and ending Saturday at noon. It is unclear which foreign leaders will attend because of the division of the Biden administration's decision to exclude authoritarian leaders from Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and others said they will not make the trip unless all of the region's leaders are invited. 

The traffic has concerned businesses like Original Soy Japenese Grill and Roll. 

"I know it's definitely going to have a big impact on our business," said assistant manager Edwin Martinez. "Some of our customers, they drive from downtown and the outskirts of this area... they won't be able to make their way through." 

Martinez said that his business depends on people outside of downtown, especially since students have left campus. Despite his concerns, Martinez said the summit is something that needs to happen. 

"Especially with everything occurring not only locally, here in our nation but around the world," he said. "It think this is required. It's very important things like this happen."