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

PRODUCTInstitutionalframeworksPolicies andregulationsInfrastructuredeploymentTable 15-6Program Planning Activities for Rural EventsTOPICPAGENO.• Development of a formal planned special event permit program. 4-10• Creation of a transportation operations task force for a recurring rural event orspecific permanent venue.5-3• Development of a joint operations policy. 5-15• Development of a mutual-aid agreement to facilitate resource sharing. 5-15• Traffic and parking restrictions. 5-10• Public-private towing agreements. 5-16• Public information safety campaign. 6-73• High occupancy vehicle incentives. 7-3• Planned alternate route for diverting background traffic around a venue. 6-40• Portable traffic management system. 6-56• Express, charter, or shuttle bus service. 6-327-117-12• Telephone information systems. 7-17• The fixed location of planned specialevent venues (e.g., fairgrounds, amphitheaters,golf courses, and race tracks) inrural areas allow for the easy identificationof stakeholder representatives involvedin planning and day-of-eventtravel management for high-attendancespecial events at these venues. Theserepresentatives may collaborate yearroundas an inter-jurisdictional, multidisciplinetask force, working to: (1)strengthen interagency coordination forfuture special events, (2) identify needsrelative to minimizing community impactsand improving transportation systemoperations during venue events.The latter involves proposing new policies,regulations, and infrastructure deploymentsto support future eventspecifictraffic management plans andtravel demand management initiatives.• A planned special event permit programproves particularly effective for ruralevents that, because of such characteristicsas event attendance and event location,may (1) conflict with municipal orstate guidelines and regulations and (2)impact transportation operations and thecommunity. The program specifies apermit process, coupled with supportingrestrictions and requirements, that allowstakeholders to plan and assess all typesof rural events within a common framework.A section on program planningfor local planned special events in Chapter4 provides complete and in-depthcoverage on developing a permit programapplicable to rural events.• Two or more stakeholders, representingmultiple jurisdictions and/or disciplines,may establish a joint operations policyfor managing travel for all planned specialevents in a region.• Stakeholders may develop a mutual-aidagreement to facilitate resource sharing(e.g., personnel or equipment) and/or reimbursementfor services in order tohandle future planned special events.• Because rural events usually occur infrequentlyand occasionally at temporaryvenues, an infrastructure needs assessmenton the program planning level15-10