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

• Service strategies include travel demandmanagement policies and otherinitiatives that strive to improve the utilityassociated with available travelchoices (e.g., mode, vehicle occupancy,and parking destination).This technical reference emphasizes theneed to apply and integrate all possible solutionsthat benefit the safe and efficient managementof travel for a single planned specialevent or a series of events occurring in aregion. On a regional level, a committee onplanned special events may adopt processand operations strategies disseminatingstandard operating procedures. Certainstrategies, such as an express/charter busservice, may achieve greater public awarenessand success if configured for a series ofplanned special events. Table 1-4 presentsthe objectives of this technical reference.Table 1-4Technical Reference ObjectivesOBJECTIVE• Describe innovative stakeholder partnershipsthat facilitate continuous coordination, cooperation,and integration of personnel andequipment resources.• Describe processes that stakeholders mayadopt to improve current advance planningand day-of-event operations.• Provide methods to raise awareness of potentialtravel impacts to non-attendee road usersand the community at-large.• Detail new technology applications and successfuloperations strategies to minimize fieldpersonnel requirements, improve travel conditionsmonitoring, and reduce congestion levels.• Identify the advantages of transit use, traveldemand management, and accurate, up-to-datetraveler information dissemination during theoccurrence of a planned special event.• Demonstrate the importance of sound trafficmanagement team organization and communicationduring the day-of-event.• Communicate the advantages of integratingpost-event evaluation activities into programplanning for future planned special events.BENEFITS OFSUCCESSFUL PLANNEDSPECIAL EVENTSAs shown in Figure 1-2, communities andregions have promoted and supportedplanned special events to boost tourism andfuel local and state economies. Examplesinclude:• The filming of “The Fast and the Furious2,” requiring extensive use of freewaysand streets in Miami-Dade, Broward,and Palm Beach counties, brought an estimated$14 million to southeast Floridaduring the four-month filming. (2)• The following economic benefits ofplanned special events were realized bythe State of Wisconsin: (3)o $11 billion annual industry statewide.o $2.5 billion annual industry in metropolitanMilwaukee.o Over $1 billion generated in state taxrevenues.o Over $70 million generated in Federaland state transportation revenues.Figure 1-2Community Promotion of Planned SpecialEvents1EVENT PROFILE POST-EVENT ACTIVITIES DAY-OF-EVENT ACTIVITIES ADVANCE PLANNINGOVERVIEW1-5