One Direction concert traffic worries Glendale police

One Direction is coming to town and Glendale police — worried the band's legions of fans could create a traffic nightmare — are creating a new way to deal with the crowds.

One Direction, the massively famous British boy band, is fresh off selling out concerts across the globe, and the band is now on its swing through the states performing concerts on its Where We Are Tour.

The four English and Irish lads were listed as making almost $23 million each last year, according to the (London) Sunday Times list of richest musicians under 30.You don't pull down that sort of loot unless you have fans. A lot of fans. So many fans that the Glendale concert is expected to be one of the largest events of the year at the University of Phoenix Stadium.

Doors open at 5 p.m. Tuesday and the show starts at 7 p.m. Parking lots open at 2 p.m. and the Stadium Plaza area opens at 4:30.

That's where the potential traffic nightmare comes in. Glendale police would like to prevent that.

There are three traffic issues people should be aware of:

Picking up and dropping off fans

Police recognize that a good number of One Direction fans either aren't old enough to drive or don't have cars, and the concert is expected to host a sell-out crowd.

So Glendale PD Sgt. Jay O'Neill said the police department, with the help of the Glendale Transportation Department, is for the first time implementing a drop-off and pick-up system.

It works like this: Drivers should exit off Loop 101 at Glendale Avenue and head east to 95th Avenue. Those who come from the west on Glendale Avenue also should proceed to 95th Avenue.

Drivers should turn south on 95th Avenue and go to Lot H at the northwest corner of 95th and Maryland avenues.

Drivers can drop off concert-goers off there, but then must leave the lot. They can come back to the parking lot after 9 p.m. A warning: drivers should stay in their cars when picking up kids or the vehicle could get towed.

Concert parking

O'Neill said unlike Arizona Cardinals' games where parking passes are sent out in advance, parking passes can either be bought in advance at the University of Phoenix Stadium box office or purchased for cash only the night of the event.

Parking in the area of the stadium will cost between $20 and $30.

Follow directions

Concert goers should allow themselves plenty of time to get to the show, and follow maps and driving directions that are provided at www.universityofphoenixstadium.com and at the Glendale Police Department Twitter account @GlendaleAZPD, which will provide pre-event and real-time traffic updates.

The last advice O'Neill offers is this: If you aren't going to the concert, avoid the area by taking a different route.