From Astros Opening Day to the Sweet 16, major events that could tie up traffic starting Thursday

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- This week, a historic sports day in the city will impact Houstonians going about their day.

It all starts Thursday morning with the Texas Children's Houston Open at Memorial Park. Hours later, it's Opening Day for the Astros at Daikin Park, with the first pitch just after 3 p.m.

That's then followed by the Sweet 16 at the Toyota Center, with the Coogs taking on Illinois around 9 p.m. That means if you're trying to get home from school or work, traffic could be messier than usual.

Here's when you'll expect to see some closures around downtown:

• Daikin Park for Astros Opening Weekend: Thursday to Sunday

• Toyota Center for the NCAA tournament: Thursday and Saturday

• Bayou City Art Festival at Sam Houston Park: Saturday and Sunday

As a reminder to drivers, Polk Street near the George R. Brown Convention Center and Toyota Center is closed for construction.

METRORail is an option to get around, but if you're taking your car, the Houston Downtown Management District recommends comparing prices and securing your parking in advance using the apps: SpotHero, ParkWhiz, or ParkMobile.

For ParkMobile online registration, make sure to use "Parkmobile.io" to avoid scams.

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