Introduction
Thousands of planned specials events occur throughout the United States on any given day. Planned special events embrace a multitude of activities across a very broad range of geographic areas, including both urban and rural environments. Planned special events can take the form of major one-time events, such as a political party's national convention, the Olympic Games, or the Super Bowl. However, many planned special events occur on a cyclical basis, such as football games, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) races, and the annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. Both football games and NASCAR races represent major cyclical events that occur in a variety of cities and rural areas around the country where intense periods of attendee arrival and departure often overwhelm the local street system. Regardless of the size, type, or location of the planned special event, the accompanying roadways, transit systems, and parking lots must be capable of handling the increase in traffic volume that typically accompanies these events. One way to improve the efficiency of available roadways and parking facilities is through the use of ITS technologies.
ITS are defined as the integrated application of advanced sensor, computer, electronics, and communications technologies and management strategies to increase the safety and efficiency of the surface transportation system.1 By consistently integrating different system components and technologies, the benefits of increased mobility can be achieved. ITS can be applied in a variety of environments—rural and urban, freeway and arterial—through the use of interconnected traffic signals, area-wide traveler information services, and other technologies and systems. A key aspect of ITS is that these technologies will provide a core communications network, transportation system monitoring, and advanced information processing capabilities that can act as a foundation for the coordinated operation of the transportation system. These key elements make ITS potentially a powerful tool for localities that host planned special events.
Many urban planned special event venues are host to multiple large and small events throughout the year; most larger urban areas have venues that fall into this category. New York City and Los Angeles host around 5,000 planned special events annually while Philadelphia, with a smaller regional population, hosts 4,500 planned special events annually.2 Traffic movements associated with annual parades, sports complexes, vibrant downtown areas, and ethnic and neighborhood celebrations often blend in with the normal congestion that typically occurs in populous areas on a day-to-day basis. Cities with thousands of planned special events have adapted to the additional traffic and trip patterns associated with these events.
Some urban areas, however, have taken a more proactive approach in the direction and control of planned special event-generated trip patterns. Montgomery County, Maryland—a densely populated suburb of Washington, DC—and Boston, Massachusetts are implementing advanced signal systems and arterial surveillance to improve monitoring and control capabilities. Areas with less developed local infrastructure that host less frequent events, such as Daytona Beach, Florida, and Dutchess County, New York, have historically relied on interagency cooperation and relationships with neighboring localities and state agencies to access additional personnel and equipment to manage the large influx of visitors for planned special events.
Throughout the duration of any planned special event, one of the primary goals of transportation agencies is to reduce the amount of travel time for motorists to and from the event. In addition, agencies must minimize the disruption of traffic flow for local motorists who may be passing through the same area or using the same roadways. To this end, many agencies have developed innovative methods and technologies to help improve planned special event traffic management, including making use of the ITS already installed to manage daily operations and incidents. In addition, the efficiency and effectiveness of traffic operations during planned special events has been shown to be significantly improved by communication and coordination among participating agencies and event stakeholders.
1 Meyer, M. (1997). A Toolbox For Alleviating Traffic Congestion And Enhancing Mobility.
2 Radow, L. (July 11, 2005). Managing Travel for Planned Special Events. Presentation to the Transportation Research Board (TRB) 2005 Summer Conference, Boston, Massachusetts, July 10-12, 2005.