Update:
You might have noticed some big changes to some downtown streets. The first phase of three took effect today to make way for the upcoming arena. Locust Street is now permanently closed between Martin Luther King and 6th. Crews have also closed 6th Street between Main and Walnut, but that will just last for two weeks. The intersection of Locust and 6th will be closed for two weeks with the stop light there taken down permanently. Workers will begin bringing down the Executive Inn Hotel December 1st. The next week after that, the second phase of changes will start and the third phase will follow soon after.


Original Story 11/20:
Getting around downtown Evansville is going to be more difficult starting Monday.
The city said it's part of the price of progress - making way for the new arena.
The cars lined up around block at the signature school Friday afternoon as parents looked to pick up their kids, parents like Cynthia Widick.
She and her daughter have to figure out how to adjust to the impending street changes.
"She may have to walk and meet me somewhere else, because I'm not going to be able to pick her up here," she said. "With the one way streets, it's going to make it a little harder."
For arena project manager John Kish, the key phrase there is "a little."
"We didn't want to close more than we needed to close until we needed to close it," Kish said. "That's why we have phases one and two, because we're trying to minimalize the disruption."
It's a three phase road closure and disruption process.
Phase one starts Monday.
Here's what that entails.
Locust closes permanently between Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and 6th St..
That intersection closes for two weeks.
The traffic light there goes.
And, 6th between Main St. and Walnut St. closes for two weeks.
"We think there are plenty of ways to get around the problem we're creating," said Kish.
But, some drivers aren't so sure, like Miranda Grabil.
"I think it stinks in so few words," she said. "I'm willing to make due as long as I see results in the end. If I don't see results in the end, I'll probably be pretty upset."
Those results, sometime in late 2011, will be a brand new arena and the decluttering of downtown traffic patterns.


Phase One (November 23), lasting two to three weeks:
Locust Street will be closed permanently between 6th Street and Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard (MLK) to both traffic and pedestrians.
The intersection of 6th and Locust will be closed for approximately two weeks.
The traffic signal at the intersection of 6th and Locust will be deactivated permanently.
6th Street will be closed to traffic and pedestrians between Main Street and Walnut Street for approximately two weeks.

Phase Two (immediately following Phase One), lasting two to three weeks:
6th Street between Main and Walnut will reopen temporarily.
Both southbound lanes of MLK between Main and Walnut will be closed. Drivers who want to proceed southbound on MLK will be diverted to Main Street, then south on 6th, and then east on Walnut back to MLK. Turns will still be allowed from MLK onto Main.

Phase Three (immediately following Phase Two), lasting through completion of arena:
The normal southbound lanes of MLK between Main and Locust will be closed.
Northbound lanes of MLK will be converted to handle 2-way traffic.
Drivers headed south on MLK will be directed over to the northbound lanes of MLK at Main.
The right southbound lane of MLK approaching Main will be for right-hand turns only Left-hand turns will not be permitted from northbound MLK on to Main.
Left-hand turns will not be permitted from the temporary southbound lanes of MLK on to Locust. Southbound traffic headed to The Centre on MLK should proceed to Walnut, turn left, and circle around The Centre.
6th Street will be closed from Main to Walnut.