Our friends at JSONLINE.COM came out with a great list of things to know / do if you're going to see Billy Joel tonight at Miller Park. Some of the good ideas include:
1.Leave early — or risk getting there late
Weeknight concerts at Miller Park with Paul McCartney in 2013 and Ed Sheeran last fall caused some of the worst Milwaukee traffic jams within the past decade. For Sheeran, the three-mile drive from downtown to the stadium, which typically takes 12 minutes, took an hour and 40 minutes. It was so bad the Brewers even apologized.
With Joel playing on a Friday, there's a chance there won't be as much commuter traffic mixed in. The Brewers will have more parking attendants on site than they employ for sold-out ballgames, Rick Schlesinger, the team's chief operating officer, told the Journal Sentinel in January.
But your best option to avoid horrendous traffic jams — and to avoid missing any part of the show — is to get to the ballpark really early. Parking lots open at 4:30 p.m., 3½ hours before Joel is scheduled to take the stage. And yes, you can tailgate, or you can head into the ballpark for grub, starting at 6 p.m.
2.Buy parking passes in advance
A major reason the traffic at the Sheeran show was so miserable was because, "the process of moving cars into the lots was slower than anticipated," the Brewers said in their apology last October.
To avoid that happening, they're urging people to buy parking passes in advance. Schlesinger even warned that the Brewers' parking lots may all be reserved before Friday night.
You can buy parking passes nowat tickets.com,brewers.com/billyjoel, and the Miller Park ticket office. Advance passes are $30 for preferred parking, and $25 for general parking. Parking the day of the show — if you want to risk it — costs $40 for preferred and $30 for general parking.
3.Avoid driving altogether
Lyft and Uber users will get dropped off at the Gantner parking lot, and you can pick up rides there. Cabs will be found outside Helfaer Field, where drop-offs will be.
You also can ride the bus. TheMilwaukee County Transit System's GoldLine, BlueLine and Route 23 lines stop within walking distance of the stadium. It costs $2.25 one-way, or $2 if you use the Ride MCTS app. One-way fare is $1.10 for kids (ages 6 to 11) and seniors (over 65).
And you can check with bars and hotels that provide shuttle service for ball games to see if they'll be doing the same for the show. Finda list of shuttle providersatmlb.com/brewers/ballpark/transporation/shutles, orjsonline.com, but call ahead to confirm if they're offering shuttle service Friday.
You can get the full list at JSONLINE.COM