managing travel for planned special events - FHWA Operations ...

Figure 5-11Designated Event Off-Site Parking AreaTable 5-17Example Event Parking OccupancySummary (23)Traffic Demand AnalysisA traffic demand analysis determines: (1) alocal area directional distribution and (2) theoverall assignment of event-generated traffic.This analysis references results obtainedthrough the travel forecast, market areaanalysis, and parking demand analysis.The local area directional distribution indicatesfreeway ramps and intersections, includingturning movements, traversed byevent-generated traffic arriving to or departingfrom a planned special event. The regionaldirectional distribution, as determinedin the market area analysis, quantifies thepercentage of event patron trips (e.g., origins)by regional freeway and arterial corridor,and the planned special event parkingareas, as determined in the parking demandanalysis, represent sink nodes or location oftrip destination. Traffic assignment includesevent-generated automobile traffic, expressbuses, charter buses, limousines, and othervehicles transporting event patrons, participants,and event employees. Practitionersperforming traffic demand analyses shouldpossess a personal knowledge of the roadwaysystem surrounding an event venue inaddition to existing traffic conditions.A parking demand analysis assesses eventparking sufficiency. The analysis does notdefine local traffic patterns to/from individualparking areas. Practitioners, instead,must gauge the utility associated with driverschoosing individual parking areas. Thekey components comprising this utility includedriving time, parking cost, and walkingtime. (24) The attractiveness of each lotvaries by freeway or arterial corridor servingthe event site, yet event patrons will accept amoderate increase in overall driving/walkingtime in exchange for a substantial parkingcost savings. The event planning team andtraffic management team must recognizesuch driver behavior and formulate the appropriatetraffic flow routes and developtraffic management strategies to manage siteaccess and circulation effectively. Figure 5-12 illustrates one strategy, instituting onstreetparking restrictions on the day-ofevent.Pre-trip and en-route traveler informationalso influences driver choice regardingparking selection.5EVENT PROFILE POST-EVENT ACTIVITIES DAY-OF-EVENT ACTIVITIES ADVANCE PLANNINGOVERVIEW5-29