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

Table 6-26Tactics for Accommodating Background Traffic during Planned Special EventsUSER GROUP TACTIC BENEFITRegionalthrough trafficLocal throughtrafficNeighborhoodresidents andbusinesses• Freeway-to-freeway diversionbeginning a significant distanceupstream of an eventvenue.• Maintains mobility.• Reduces the level of background traffic on corridorflow routes serving the venue.• Arterial-to-arterial diversion • Eliminates non-attendee exposure to venue sitearea.• Discourages cruising around site area.• Allows public to become familiar with route afterrepeated implementation.• Parking restrictions • Permits resident access to on-street parking spaces.• Permits employee and customer access to publicparking areas.• Traffic control points • Restricts neighborhood area access to residents andbusiness employees.• Signing and alternate routes • Directs customers to businesses and other trafficgenerators.Freeway-to-Freeway DiversionTransportation management system operatorscan implement freeway-to-freeway diversionthrough control of permanentchangeable message signs and highway advisoryradio.Parking RestrictionsParking restrictions accomplish the task ofpreventing event-generated traffic from deviatingfrom local event traffic flow routesand traversing neighborhood residential andcommercial areas.causing undue congestion and blockingneighborhood access and circulation patterns.If this represents a potential concernduring advance planning, then locate eventparking areas a sufficient distance awayfrom affected neighborhood areas and createtraffic control points to prevent eventgeneratedtraffic from penetrating these areas.Residents and business employeeswould receive a pass allowing them accessthrough the traffic control points.Traffic Control PointsRoad closures may impact customer accessto businesses and other traffic generators.Figure 6-35 shows a sign diverting trafficdestined to a major traffic generator locatedadjacent to a planned special event temporaryvenue.Large-scale events may generate sufficienttraffic demand to saturate the entire localstreet system adjacent to the event venue,Figure 6-35Accommodation of Traffic Destined toMajor Generators6-44