|
By Claude Felton
cfelton@sports.uga.edu
A parking and traffic flow plan developed for football game days is being revised in order to correct operational problems experienced at the first game, officials announced last week.
The basic plan, developed by an all-campus committee with game-day responsibilities, was designed to enhance public safety by providing pedestrian access and more orderly vehicle parking, replace parking spaces lost to a major new building, provide additional spaces to meet increased demand from donors to the athletic association, and protect the interests of students who desired game-day ingress and egress from their on-campus parking spaces.
The revised plan should expedite patrons’ exit from East Campus parking areas and also restore vehicle access to some areas on campus. It provides dedicated one-way traffic lanes away from campus and re-opens to traffic and parking about half the area previously included in the “perimeter” zone.
“Despite their good-faith effort to do so, it was apparent at the first game that the committee’s plan did not work well in moving vehicles out of East Campus following the game, and some felt it over-reached in the area from which vehicles were excluded in the central campus,” said university President Michael F. Adams.
“When it became apparent to me on the day of the first game that there were operational problems, I charged this group with correcting the deficiencies and restoring the fans’ confidence that their experience will be a pleasant one when they come to campus for Georgia football games,” he added. “I’m confident their recommendations will result in a much-improved experience for our fans.”
Athletic Director Vince Dooley added that “like Dr. Adams, we certainly recognized early on the inconveniences and shortcomings in the operation plan and immediately began to address those issues. I expect the fans will see considerable improvement at the next game.”
Under the revisions, a completely revamped traffic-exit procedure has been designed to route fans parking in the East Campus area to the Athens perimeter as quickly as possible.
One section of the westbound lane of College Station Road will be closed, which will allow all four lanes of College Station to be outbound.
Patrons parking in the East Campus area will be given maps when they arrive detailing exit routes. The shuttlebus service from East Campus to the stadium both before and after the game has also been redesigned.
Restrooms in the Ramsey Student Center will be open to patrons and additional portable restroom facilities have been added.
In an effort to enhance tailgating opportunities, the “perimeter” around the central-south campus area has been reduced. The south boundary of the perimeter has been moved from Green Street to Cedar Street; the revised boundaries are Cedar, Lumpkin, and Baldwin streets and East Campus Road. Parking will be permitted on the south sidewalk of Cedar Street, except in front of Conner Hall.
City police will continue to enforce normal game-day parking regulations on city streets through and near the campus.
|
|
|
