RALEIGH — Transportation officials are suggesting that it may be easier to drive the lane for a basket than drive around Greensboro during the Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball tournament.

The tournament begins Thursday, and the N.C. Department of Transportation is telling motorists to expect heavy traffic in the vicinity of the Greensboro Coliseum.

Attendance at the tournament is projected to exceed 70,000 fans, and traffic is expected to peak along the roads around the coliseum prior to each game.

Greensboro police will manage major intersections around the coliseum and message boards on Interstates 40, 85, 73 and U.S. 29 will display information about tournament traffic and parking. The department also will extend operational hours of the Triad Regional Transportation Management Center and Incident Management Assistance Patrol on interstate routes.