Gloria Trevi concert expected to snarl Tijuana traffic

City officials are predicting a traffic nightmare this weekend in Playas de Tijuana and surrounding neighborhoods as more than 45,000 people are expected to attend a free concert by Gloria Trevi, "the supreme diva of Mexican pop," in the parking lot of the Plaza Monumental bullring.

The Sunday, August 18, concert will mark the end of an ongoing 124th birthday party for Tijuana that began on July 10 and so far has included events such as "Opera in the Street," the third Tijuana Marathon, food fairs, lectures, and performances by several less well-known artists at venues across the city. Tijuana recognizes July 11, 1889, as the date of its founding.

Sunday's concert is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m., but Plaza Monumental will open to the public at 4 p.m. Traffic is expected to worsen as the day wears on, according to city officials. Forty-five police motorcycle officers have been assigned to patrol the area "to detour traffic or close streets when necessary," according to the Baja California daily El Mexicano.

"Because of the quantity of people that are expected, and because there is just one access to Playas de Tijuana, the subdirector of transit, Omar Green de la Cerda, announced that from noon on Sunday there will be traffic officers on duty to prevent complications," reported El Sol de Tijuana.

City officials are recommending that those planning to attend the concert use public transportation or carpool, especially since a good portion of the bullring's parking lot will be used to stage the event, according to El Sol. The four streets that surround Plaza Monumental will be closed for most of the day, the newspaper said.

The concert, which is expected to last about two hours, is sponsored by Cervecería Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma, a Mexican brewery that produces Dos Equis, Sol, Bohemia, Tecate, and Carta Blanca, among other brands of beer.