Traffic for Final Four weekend will get sticky

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- City officials in Houston are gearing up the 2016 NCAA Men's Final Four.

Andy Skabowski with METRO said, "Just know that on Friday and on Monday, it's going to take you a little longer to get around, just because there are more people in town."

Be prepared for three zones of major traffic -- the Galleria/Uptown area, where many visitors will be staying at area hotels, downtown around the GRB and Discovery Green -- the site of Fanfest and the free March Madness Music Festival , and around NRG Park where the games are being played.

Those activities will bring local crowds along with the out-of-towners, so if you're planning to enjoy, you may want to consider ditching the car. METRO is offering Final Four pass. For 12 bucks, you can ride the rail or local buses all weekend.

"Just keep it in your pocket wear it as lanyard, flash it, it's a flash pass, show it to the operator and you're good to go," Skabowski explained.

So get excited, make your plan, and don't forget about it -- in just a few months, Houston will play host to yet another big event.

"We want to have an event that Houstonians come out and enjoy," Skabowski said. "Come out enjoy that, 10 months later come out and enjoy the Super Bowl."