Taking Easy Ways In and Out to Avoid Congestion at Malls

Local merchants and police are bracing for large crowds at shopping malls today as people leave the turkey leftovers behind to work off a few unwanted calories with a healthy dose of bargain hunting.

“It will probably be chaotic,” said Costa Mesa Police Sgt. Karl Schuler, referring to the throngs that are expected to flock to the South Coast Plaza mall. “Historically in our city, the day after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the year.”

At South Costa Plaza and other malls in the county, department stores will kick off the holiday season with giant weekend sales typically starting at 8 a.m. Friday.

And, while merchants stocked their shelves and marked down prices, police and mall security teams prepared to handle the crush of customers who will snarl traffic and jam parking lots.

“We have extra officers on duty for traffic, and we’ve added a bike detail to patrol for auto thefts,” Schuler said.

Despite the efforts to cope with the congestion, some unlucky shoppers will undoubtedly face the frustration of waiting in traffic and looking for the elusive parking spot.

Here are a few tips for avoiding some of the worst congestion:

* Arrive before noon or in the early evening, when many people eat dinner. Use side streets rather than congested highways for quicker access to mall parking lots. Use parking structures, usually linked to the mall by bridges.

* Know what you are looking for, and work your way around the mall, back to your car. Ask security or store managers if the mall offers services such as baby-sitting, parking lot escorts or package assistance for elderly or handicapped shoppers.

Buena Park Mall Avoid: La Palma Avenue entrances.

Use: Stanton Avenue or Dale Street entrances.

Parking: Best in back of mall, especially in lots near Stanton.

Mall of Orange Avoid: Katella Avenue exit from Costa Mesa Freeway.

Use: Lincoln Avenue off-ramp from the Costa Mesa Freeway and Tustin Street entrance.

Parking: Good in rear lots along Canal Street.

MainPlace/Santa Ana Avoid: Parking decks along Main Street.

Parking: Best in the parking deck next to May Co. and on the mall’s west side.

Westminster Mall Avoid: Golden West Street entrance.

Use: Entrances near intersection of Edwards Street and Bolsa Avenue.

Parking: Lots off Bolsa are best.

South Coast Plaza Avoid: Bristol Street entrances.

Use: Fairview Road exit off San Diego Freeway. Go north to South Coast Drive and go east. It will lead you directly into the mall. Bear Street also is a good alternative.

Parking: Use north and south parking garages.

Fashion Island Avoid: Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, San Nicolas, Santa Rosa and San Miguel drives, depending on traffic; all feed from the surrounding streets onto Newport Center Drive, which connects to East Coast Highway.

Use: If one of the above feeders is congested, try the next.

Parking: Best bet is garage next to the Broadway.

Brea Mall Location: Imperial Highway at State College Boulevard.

Avoid: Southern part of State College; left-turn traffic signals make motorists wait to enter mall.

Use: Northern part of State College, and take either of two entrances into mall. Side-street entrances also on Birch Street and Randolph Avenue.

Huntington Center Location: Beach Boulevard and Edinger Avenue, at San Diego Freeway.

Avoid: Edinger and the busy Edinger and Beach intersection.

Use: Center Avenue entrances off Gothard Street. The southbound Beach Boulevard off-ramp of the San Diego Freeway puts motorists right on Center. Turn right to mall. The northbound off-ramp lets out on Beach; the first right turn is Center.

Parking: Good in northeast and northwest lots along Center and southeast and west lots off Edinger.

Laguna Hills Mall Location: Interstate 5 at El Toro Road.

Avoid: Main El Toro entrance.

Use: Any of the entrances off either Avenida de la Carlota or Calle de la Louisa. The southbound Interstate 5 El Toro off-ramp lets out on Avenida de la Carlota; stay on it past El Toro. Calle de la Louisa is off El Toro, just past the main entrance.

Parking: Good in lots along Calle de la Louisa between Sears and Buffums, and along Avenida de la Carlota, between Sears and J.C. Penney. Lots near Sears and the Broadway at main entrance fill fast.

Mission Viejo Mall Location: Interstate 5, off Crown Valley Parkway.

Avoid: Main entrance.

Use: Marguerite Parkway entrance.

Parking: Good on south side of mall, by May Co. and Montgomery Ward.

The City Shopping Center Location: Garden Grove Freeway at The City Drive, Orange.

Avoid: The City Drive entrances.

Use: Chapman Avenue.

Parking: Generally good.