By Adam Allington, St. Louis Public Radio
St. Louis, MO – Officials at the Missouri Department of Transportation are urging people to plan ahead this weekend if they're headed to Forest Park.
Visitors to the park last weekend encountered gridlock at the Hampton Avenue entrance.
The backup was partially the cause of the seasonably nic weather, as well as road construction on Wells Drive, by the Zoo.
Lesley Hoffarth of Forest Park Forever is urging drivers to consider entrances besides Hampton Avenue.
"If you know where you want to go in the park, go to the nearest entrance to the park, don't go to Hampton," said Hoffarth. "For instance, if you want to go to the Art Museum, take McCausland, Skinker and either use the lagoon entrance or use Lindell."
Hoffarth says the upper Muny parking lot offers the best chance for free parking on busy days.
"We know from experience that when the lots at the Zoo fill up and the lots here at the visitor center fill up before noon, we're going to have some big traffic problems at the park," said Hoffarth. "So, if that happens we'll call MODOT and they'll turn on some changeable message boards."
MODOT is advising drivers to use the McCausland or Kingshighway entrances if possible.