NHL in Seattle will impact traffic by Key Arena

SEATTLE — The NHL flag was flying high above the Space Needle on Thursday.

And as Seattle courts the league, some said it's already hard enough to just find parking at Key Arena.

With thousands attending the Pac-12 Conference Women's Basketball Tournament, KIRO 7 spoke with fans about their experience.

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Once they arrived, some drove in circles trying to find parking.
     
A sold out NHL game would mean a much bigger traffic mess near Key Arena.

Rush hour traffic in Seattle is more than just a headache for drivers.

And with the city preparing for an NHL team in the near future, traffic and parking could get a lot worse by Key Arena.

Just trying to find parking was stressful enough for Greg Stiff, who made the trip from Portland, Oregon, to watch the Pac-12 women's basketball tournament.

"We're only an hour late for the first game,” said Stiff with a smile. “But we made it.”

While some took the bus to watch the Pac-12 tournament, others found another way to avoid the hassle of traffic and parking.

“So we came up from Portland,” Steve Irvine, an Oregon State basketball fan, said. “[We made the decision and] took the train [and then caught an] Uber around. [It really] makes for a perfect day."

Tim Leiweke, whose chief executive officer of the Oak View Group that's planning to bring an NHL team to Seattle, told KIRO radio his group is committed to make sure fans can get to and from the Seattle Center.

"Mercer and all of the lights are finally going to be computerized,” said Leiweke. “Believe it or not, they don't computerize the lights. That's part of where our $60 million that we committed to transportation is going."

Leiweke said the Oak View Group is planning on paying for police officers to direct traffic at every major event.

As fans look ahead to watching an NHL team in Seattle, they're hoping these issues can be addressed.

"I've been here for two and a half years now, and I've seen at least six parking lots destroyed and gone," said Megan Schosboek, a Seattle resident.

Cox Media Group