As Toronto prepares for Taylor Swift’s arrival this week, some crowd management and planning experts say extra safety precautions should be taken when tens of thousands of fans fill the city’s downtown core. evenings of shows.

That means preparing for a sudden change in crowd dynamics and severe traffic jams, despite planned road closures, experts say.

The city recently announced various traffic and safety measures in preparation for welcoming up to 500,000 visitors during the megastar’s six sold-out Eras Tour stops at the Rogers Center from November 14-16 and the following week from November 21-16. November 23.

Tens of thousands of Swifties are expected to use public transportation to get to the venue and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, where the Taylgate’24 fan event is taking place. The overlapping events at Scotiabank Arena are expected to draw even more people.

Before residents and visitors head downtown, crowd safety specialist Kevin Kennedy warned they should prepare for possible changes in crowd dynamics.

The former provincial and Ottawa police officer, who now owns Kennedy Crowd Safety Solutions, said crowd density and movement can change quickly.

“Taylor Swift fans tend to be very docile and supportive of each other, but a situation can arise that immediately changes the dynamic because it throws people into a panic situation,” Kennedy said.

“If something happens in an emergency, follow the instructions of the responsible people.”

Kennedy added that it’s especially important for parents whose children are going to concerts to communicate their safety plans.

“Parents can tell their children to move away, get out of it and move to a less congested area,” he said. “People want to get as close as possible, but there comes a point where you might start to feel unsafe. So take a step back, it’s not worth the injury.

In anticipation of the crowds, the city has planned several safety measures, such as an emergency operations center that will be activated during the Eras Tour.

Toronto Deputy Police Chief Lauren Pogue said that while police cannot provide details on their operational plans regarding concert dates, people can expect “a significant and visible police presence” inside and outside the room.

The City also announced several traffic measures near the Rogers Center. At 2 p.m. on show days, several blocks around the venue will be restricted to local traffic only. This includes Bremner Boulevard between Spadina Avenue and Simcoe Street, as well as Blue Jays Road between Spadina Avenue and south of Front Street.

There will be designated drop-off and pick-up areas near the Rogers Centre, as well as traffic wardens in the area.

Additional road closures will go into effect after the show and additional one-time closures may be necessary to manage crowds, with everything expected to reopen at 1 a.m., the city said, adding those plans will be adjusted as necessary.

But Amer Shalaby, a professor at the University of Toronto, said the city should consider traffic restrictions for the duration of Swift’s extended tour, not just on show nights.

“If the roads are going to be closed only on concert nights, guess what: On other days it will still be crowded,” said Shalaby, who specializes in crowd congestion and transportation planning.

“As it stands, we all know that anyone who wants to drive to downtown Toronto on the weekend, even in the evening, is a mess. Imagine adding tens of thousands of people. We don’t really have the capacity to accommodate all of this. »

The city needs to be “very upfront and transparent” with drivers about what the traffic situation will look like, Shalaby said.

“Ultimately, drivers make choices. We really need to let them know that it’s going to be pretty difficult if the city doesn’t close the roads on other days. »

He recommends people take public transportation and work from home if possible, or postpone traveling downtown until Swift has moved to the next city.

Kennedy said the key to Toronto’s Eras tour running smoothly is clear communication and coordination between city departments and organizers. The city is no stranger to massive crowds, he said, and handling the increased demand for public transportation and roads during Swift’s concerts will depend on good planning.

“The police, the city, the traffic management authorities are very knowledgeable about how to deal with approaching crowds,” Kennedy said.

“Everyone on the ground needs to know what their roles and responsibilities are.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published November 12, 2024.