Summit of Americas brings traffic, road closures to Downtown LA

If you can avoid driving into Downtown Los Angeles this week - do it.

The Summit of Americas, an event that will host world leaders from Central, North and South America, including President Joe Biden, is taking place this week from Monday up until Saturday afternoon. 

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the summit will cost an additional $3 million a day to staff and secure the five-day event. The total is expected to be roughly $15.5 million. 

The streets of Downtown Los Angeles are calm for now but this will soon change, and it's not because of regular work-day traffic.

"I am not excited about it, that's for sure," Rebecca Couch, a Downtown LA resident said on Sunday. 

World leaders are expected to talk about all of the main issues from immigration, to global warming and human rights.

The summit returns to the U.S. for the first time since 1994, when it took place in Miami.

However, not every leader from the Americas will be present at the summit. Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador said earlier this week he will not attend the summit if Biden does not extend an invitation to leaders from Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. 

On Monday, Obrador confirmed that he will not be in attendance for the event. 

No matter which leaders arrive to the summit, local authorities say to expect delays in and around the 10, 101 and 110 freeways. 

On the northbound side, drivers are asked to avoid using any of those exit ramps between the 10 and the 101 and on the southbound side, stay away from Wilshire Avenue and the Sixth street off-ramps.  

They also recommended avoiding a series of off-ramps which led to DTLA, including: 

• Traveling westbound on the 10 Freeway, exit 16A Santa Fe, 15B Alameda Street, 15A Central Ave, 14B San Pedro Street, 14A Convention Center.
• Traveling eastbound on the 10 Freeway, exit Convention Center/Grand Avenue/Olive Street, 14A Maple Avenue, 14B San Pedro Street, 15A Central Avenue, 15B Alameda Street, 16A Santa Fe Avenue.
• Traveling Northbound on the 110 Freeway, exit 20B 37th Street and Exposition Boulevard, 20C Adams Boulevard, or transition onto either the 10 or 101 Freeways east or westbound.

"I think it's not necessarily travel I am concerned about it's the potential for protests," Joan McCraw said.

Those are expected too - along with rally's for "the people's summit" and discussion panels. Making matters more interesting, Tuesday is election day.

"The voting booths are right in that area as well. That is another possibility that it could affect people dropping off their ballots," McCraw said.

For people who use the Dash, officials said to check the daily routes. Though there are no cancellations as of Sunday, that could change during the week.

Commuters heading through downtown were notified to avoid these areas if possible, beginning at 10 p.m. Monday:

• Connector ramps from the east and westbound 10 Freeway to the 110 Freeway North
• The 110 Freeway northbound exits into Downtown LA, to include Pico Boulevard, 9th Street, 6th Street, 4th Street, and 3rd Street
• The 110 Freeway southbound exits for 6th Street and Wilshire Boulevard
• Figueroa Street, north and southbound traffic, between Washington Boulevard and 3rd Street
• Pico Boulevard, east and westbound traffic, between Union Avenue and Grand Avenue
• 7th Street, east and westbound traffic, between Bixel Street and Flower Street
• Wilshire Boulevard, east and westbound traffic, between Bixel Street and Flower Street

Those planning travel through Los Angeles International Airport were warned to expect rolling traffic impacts, and to plan for considerable extra time as a result. 

A full list of the roads and transit hubs expected to be impacted by the event can be found here.