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

ure 6-6 shows a freeway CMS, operatedby the Maryland State Highway Administrationwith real-time sign status postedon the Coordinated Highways ActionResponse Team (CHART) website, displayingaccess information for differentparking areas.• As part of developing the site access andparking plan, the event planning teamshould prepare a signing plan andCMS/HAR message sets.o Default messages provide directionsto assigned parking areas.o Stakeholders should maintain alternatemessage sets to divert trafficaway from full lots to overflow parkingareas.o Implementation of alternate messagesets places a premium on interagencycommunications.• On the day-of-event, the command postmust process real-time information receivedfrom parking area operators andobservers and, in turn, immediatelycommunicate recommended changes toall agencies managing traveler informationdevices as the situation dictates.• The signing plan indicates a network oftrailblazer and guide signs from a freewayor arterial access point to variousparking areas.o Top priority involves guiding eventpatrons and participants destined toreserved parking areas. Unlike mostevent patrons who will eventuallyaccept any public parking area, travelerspossessing a permit will circulatethrough the street system adjacentto the event venue until they encountertheir designated parkingarea.o Figure 6-7 shows a temporary guidesign for event parking permit holders.Figure 6-6Freeway CMS Displaying ParkingInformation (Graphic courtesy of the MarylandState Highway Administration.)Figure 6-7Guide Sign for Reserved Parking Areas• Traveler information considerations duringevent egress include the provision ofparking area identification landmarks,and guide signs to major freeway/arterialroutes at parking area exit points and adjacentaccess roadways.o In the absence of parking staff, theguide signs assist motorists unfamiliarwith the area in making criticalturns to access known freewaysand/or arterials when departing theevent venue site.o Missed turns result in additional circulationthrough the site area andimpacts street network operationsduring egress.• Standard parking area identificationlandmarks at permanent venues includefixing a parking section banner to lightposts or naming different levels of a6-14