Obama Visit Means Heavy Traffic Through LA, Officials Warn

Drivers can expect heavier-than-usual rush hour traffic across a broad swath of the Westside today as President Barack Obama travels from Westwood to Beverly Hills during his 16th trip to the Southland.

Air Force One is scheduled to touch down at LAX between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Police may close streets in the World Way West area, near Playa del Rey.

Authorities did not release details of the president's commute across Los Angeles. However, during past visits, the president traveled by helicopter from LAX to the helipad at the Veterans Administration hospital in Westwood.

Police indicated the presidential motorcade may leave Westwood about 4:45 p.m. and head to Beverly Hills or the Beverly Center area. Traffic delays are possible in the area bounded by the San Diego (405) Freeway to the west, Santa Monica Boulevard to the north, La Cienega Boulevard to the east, and Venice Boulevard to the south.

That indicates that the presidential motorcade may travel on Pico or Olympic boulevards sometime after 4:45 p.m., although the route is subject to change.

Obama is expected to do fundraising at the homes of basketball Hall of Fame member Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Haim Saban, chairman of Saban Capital Group, in the Beverly Hills area Monday night.

On Tuesday morning, Obama will attend a fundraiser at the Hancock Park home of "Friends" sitcom co-creator Marta Kauffman. Drivers were warned to expect delays as the president motorcades from there toward the Dreamworks Animation studio near the the Los Angeles Zoo in Glendale.

Between 8 and 10:45 a.m., some streets in the Hancock Park area will be barricaded at times, in the area bounded by Fairfax Avenue on the west, Beverly Boulevard to the north, Western Avenue to the east and Pico Boulevard to the south.

At 10:30 a.m., streets will begin closing in Glendale, in an area bounded generally by San Fernando Road to the northeast, Grandview Avenue to the northwest, and Riverside Drive and the Los Angeles River to the south.

Obama may travel by helicopter back to LAX and depart Los Angeles between 1:15 and 2 p.m on Tuesday.

-- City News Service